Thin Ice in Honolulu
by Qweb
Summary: Scattered and shattered by the events of the Season 1 finale, the Five-0 team must reconnect and regroup and figure out what just happened, before they can rescue two of their own. The whole thing is a big spoiler for Oia'i'o and half of Season 1.
1. They Take a Lot of Planning

_Author's note: OK, this is my turn to tackle the season finale. I'm sure my story is nothing like the second season opener will be. This story doesn't have nearly enough action, for one thing. My story is more about the guys getting back together and figuring out what the heck just happened. _

— H50 —

**Thin Ice in Honolulu**

**Chapter 1: They Take a Lot of Planning**

— H50 —

Honolulu Police Lieutenant Chin Ho Kelly braced himself before knocking on former Five-0 Detective Danny Williams' door. When Danny saw who was on the stoop, he came out with a rush, fist swinging. "You son of a …"

But Chin was prepared. It was a character flaw — Danny's own words — that when he was personally pissed, Danny swung for the face. When it was business, he could be more controlled, more creative and less predictable, but when his emotions were involved, he forgot about the potential for hand damage.

Chin caught Danny's flying fist in his left hand and pulled the smaller man forward with his right, muffling Danny's curses against his chest and trapping Danny's left hand between their bodies. Chin was painfully aware that he was still leaving himself open for retaliation — a knee in the groin or a head butt to the chin, but he hoped for just a moment to plead his case.

"Danny, please, give me a chance to explain," Chin hissed in his friend's ear. "I told you once I was in your corner a thousand percent. I still am, brah. The uniform doesn't matter. I'm still Five-0 at heart."

"Let me go," came the stifled reply.

The lieutenant released his friend, taking a cautious step backwards in case of resumed hostilities. Danny looked like hell, Chin thought. His angry eyes were rimmed with red and his face was haggard.

"You picked your side when you shoved Steve in that police car," Danny accused. That was the moment that rankled.

Chin spread his hands. "Brah, anyone else would have shot him. He choked an HPD officer unconscious and knocked out three members of Jameson's security detail. He was standing over her body with a smoking gun! He was lucky I got to him first! Danny, think! You know me. You know we've been set up. This was my chance to get on the inside where I might be able to help. I already asked Charlie Fong to collect evidence from Steve and I've been supervising the crime lab at the scene. Sooner or later someone's going to tell me I'm too close to this, but right now I'm the arresting officer and it's hard to freeze me out."

Danny used both hands to comb back his mussed blond hair. He was a passionate person who wore his emotions on his sleeve but he wasn't stupid. He was a damned good detective and was particularly good at reading people. Instinct, experience and friendship — everything told him that Chin was telling the truth. Unfortunately, that didn't improve the situation much. They were all still screwed.

"You'd better come in," the exhausted detective said.

Danny flopped down on the couch, rubbing his tired eyes.

"I don't know why I'm so mad at you. You're no worse a traitor than I am," the Jerseyan said sadly. "I let Steve down, didn't back him up when he needed it."

"No one can control Steve McGarrett when he's on a rampage, but I don't understand. How did it go so wrong, so fast?"

Danny reached for the open bottle of beer on the table in front of him. He didn't pick it up; he just rested his forefinger on the rim, drawing Chin's attention to it.

The beer was untouched, still full up to the neck, though it had been open long enough to grow warm and lose its condensation. Danny had been too deep in his thoughts — drowning in his unfathomable thoughts — to drink it.

He tapped the bottle. "This was my life yesterday, full and fizzy. Yesterday, I was happy. And today …" He snatched up the bottle and hurled it viciously across the room. It shattered spectacularly against a corner of the kitchen counter, sending shards of brown glass and foaming amber spray across the room. "… This is my life today."

"Danny!"

Tragedy was frozen in Danny's eyes. "Yesterday, Rachel told me she was pregnant with my child."

Speechless, eyes wide, Chin dropped into a chair across from his distraught friend.

A smile twitched on Danny's face in response to Chin's shock. "Yeah, I know," he said wryly. "Sleeping with another man's wife. But I didn't feel like that. I felt like I was reclaiming what I never should have lost. I never wanted to get divorced. I never stopped loving her, you know."

Chin just nodded.

"In the morning, Rachel said Stan was coming back and she was going to tell him about us. Later …" Danny pulled a piece of paper out of his wallet and slid it across the coffee table. It was a boarding pass for a flight to New Jersey dated today.

Chin's eyes opened wider.

"While we were investigating Laura's death, Rachel called me, said it was urgent that we meet. She told me she was pregnant and she didn't want to stay in Hawaii, which was Stan's home. She wanted to go back to New Jersey, right away.

"I was reeling, everything was happening too fast to think. I said, yes," Danny told his friend baldly. "It was my dream, Chin. Rachel and Grace back and a new baby on the way. I didn't want to leave Five-0, but …"

"But family comes first." No one understood that better than Chin.

"I was going to fly home with her, get her settled, then come back and finish up my outstanding cases. But everything spiraled out of control," Danny said.

Chin nodded, not wanting to interrupt the flow of Danny's thoughts. Something more than Steve's arrest had put that grief-stricken expression on his friend's face.

"I went to Steve's house to tell him, and he almost shot me. He'd broken into the governor's office and found evidence from the Champ box and evidence that not only proved Laura sent Steve the envelopes, but that Jameson knew about it."

"Phew!"

"Tell me about it!" Danny brushed back his hair. "Steve was wild, but I thought I'd talked him down." He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. "I should have known better. I should have stayed with him. I should have sat on him. But I had Rachel on my mind."

"So Steve went totally off the rails and we couldn't rescue him," Chin said. "And I had to arrest him on suspicion of murdering the governor."

"And I missed my flight."

For the first time, Chin realized there was a packed suitcase next to the door. Danny must have had it in the trunk of his car.

"So I came home," Danny said. A tear trickled unnoticed down his cheek. "I turned off my phone, opened a beer and sat down to think. It was my first chance to think, my first chance to breathe, since the car bomb went off. I was wondering how everything could happen at once and thinking about how pissed I was at you, and I remembered what you said about coincidences."

"They take a lot of planning." The lieutenant inhaled sharply. "No, it can't be. No."

"Yes," Danny said with resignation. "Wo Fat wanted to scatter Five-0 in all directions. He hit all of us at once. All of us."

"All?"

Danny looked up sharply. He realized Chin had left Five-0 before Ahuna showed up. "Chin, IA came just after you left. They're investigating Kono about a theft from the asset forfeiture locker."

"No!" That was a nightmare. Chin had just gotten out from under IA's suspicion, now Kono was dragged in. Worst of all, she was really guilty.

"The detective — Ahuna? — he said they had a witness," Danny said. "I told Kono to keep her mouth shut. I told her we'd get her out of this." He scrubbed his head with his hand. "And then everything went to hell. I didn't even check up on her, poor kid."

"I knew that part of the burned $10 million turned up," Chin said. "I told Steve. They probably traced some of the serial numbers back to the $10 million. Kono said there was an old woman who saw her, who said she was going to report her."

"But why did they associate that call with the asset forfeiture locker? Why pick out Kono of all the girls on the island? Why did they figure that day was the day the money was taken? It doesn't make sense, unless someone pointed the investigation at her," Danny argued. He'd had too much time to think about this.

"So, it was no coincidence they found the burned money yesterday, kick-starting the investigation that pulled in Kono," Chin realized.

"On the same day that Laura was blown up, leaving Steve's forged fingerprints all over her apartment," Danny said.

"On the same day HPD offered to reinstate me," Chin said sourly. "Probably the governor's suggestion."

"And we can't forget the haole from Jersey," Danny said bitterly. "Use his own family to distract him from his Five-0 family. Send him back home fat and happy and assume he'll forget about the crazy Navy SEAL who always got him in trouble."

"You can't be right," Chin protested halfheartedly.

"I am right. There is no baby. That was just bait," Danny said bleakly. "Rachel is working for Wo Fat."

"No, brah, not 'working for'," Chin said kindly. "They probably threatened her."

"Mm," Danny unhappily agreed. "If it was me, I'd have said something like, 'Take him to New Jersey or we'll kill him, and you and your daughter, too.'"

Chin was puzzled for a minute. That should have made Danny happier to think Rachel was trying to protect him, then the lieutenant got it.

"Shit! You've got to go! Your life won't be worth a shaved ice if you don't. And Grace and Rachel will be in danger."

Danny nodded. "I can't see any way around it. I've got to go to New Jersey and leave Steve and Kono in the lurch." His lip raised in a snarl. "But I'll be back once I make sure Rachel and Grace are safe and then Wo Fat will be sorry he didn't simply send a sniper after me."

"That would attract too much attention, brah. He prefers to dispose of his enemies subtly."

"Screw subtle," the Jerseyan growled. "I'm going to go McGarrett on his ass."

— H50 —

Chin checked his phone messages, found the one from Kono and called her back. "Cuz, I just heard about IA, are you all right? Tell me what happened." He listened for a while. "Suspended, pending investigation," he relayed to the detective. "No, I'm with Danny. No, we're not fighting any more. You did? Yeah, I know, he looks shell-shocked." He held his hand over the microphone. "She saw Steve when they were booking him. What?" he said back into the phone. "She did? Good for her. All right, I'll be over in a few. No, just me. Danny's got business. I'll explain when I see you. Keep your chin up, cuz. We'll get through this together."

"So?" Danny asked when Chin ended the call.

"IA put her in a lineup. She thinks that old woman picked her out."

"That doesn't prove anything," Danny said in disgust. "So Kono was loitering in that neighborhood wearing a funny costume on Christmas Eve. The money could have been taken any time. There were years it was unaccounted for. She never went in the vault, never touched the money. They'll never have enough evidence to convict her."

"But they can take her badge," Chin said. He, of all people, knew they didn't have to have evidence, only suspicion.

"So, why did this old lady come forward now or how did they find her? Was she a lookout for Wo Fat? Or am I just being paranoid?"

"It's not paranoia if they're really out to get you, brah," Chin said drily. "And they're definitely out to get you."

"You relieve my mind," Danny answered just as drily. "I've got another one for you to watch. Who warned you that HPD was coming for Steve?"

"Duke … you think?"

Danny shrugged. "I don't know anything, but why did he call you? That gave Steve a chance to get away and get into more trouble. Is that what Wo Fat wanted? Steve on the run?"

"I hate to think it, brah," Chin said, shaking his head.

"If Rachel could be working for Wo Fat, anyone could," Danny said flatly. "Where's Kono now?"

"With Jenna. Our little analyst managed to rescue most of the data we'd collected."

"Good girl. Here, you can add some more." Danny fetched a thumb drive out of his suitcase. "This is a copy of what Steve photographed in the governor's office."

Chin whistled. "Dangerous stuff."

"Just take that as a given," Danny advised. "We're not just skating on thin ice, babe. We're skating on thin ice under the Honolulu sun." He handed Chin the drive. "Take it to Jenna. I have more. I even mailed one to my mother in Piscataway for safekeeping."

— H50 —

"So, we're good, brah?" Chin asked as he stood on Danny's doorstep.

"I understand what you did, but …" Chin turned and Danny's fist caught him on the cheek. The lieutenant went down, looking up at his friend in surprise.

Danny massaged his bruised knuckles. "That's for not giving me a heads up," he said with a tight but genuine smile.

And for their smokescreen, Chin realized without resentment.

— H50 —

The bruise on Chin's cheek was growing as dark as his HPD uniform when he faced the press conference with Danny standing stiff and unfriendly at his side. Chin answered questions about the governor and McGarrett, being careful to use all the right words — suspect, alleged. No one asked about Kono, for which Chin was grateful. At least that investigation wasn't public.

"Detective Williams, are you involved in this investigation?" one reporter asked.

"That would be a conflict of interest," Chin said hastily.

Danny sneered at him. "I won't be involved in railroading, I mean investigating Steve McGarrett," he told the reporters. "I have a family emergency in New Jersey. I was supposed to leave yesterday …" They could probably check that. "But with everything going on, I missed my flight."

"I'll be taking the detective to the airport this afternoon myself," Chin said with a stern look at Danny.

"Always so thoughtful," Danny said sarcastically. "I seem to have worn out my welcome in Honolulu," he told the reporter. "Know about any openings for an unemployed detective?"

— H50 —

The press conference was over, but one sharp-eyed woman decided to scratch her bump of curiosity. She wended her way to Chin and Danny.

"That's quite a bruise, lieutenant. How'd you get it?"

Chin touched his tender cheek. "With all that was going on yesterday, I don't remember," he said stolidly.

"And you, detective. Your hand seems to be bothering you. Did you hit something?"

"You know, with all that was going on yesterday, I really don't remember," Danny said blandly, wondering if she worked for Wo Fat. He suspected everyone now.

Danny's phone rang and he excused himself.

"Rachel. Yes, I'm sorry I missed the plane. I guess you know why. It's been all over the news," Danny listened for a moment. "No, I promised. I'm coming. I'm booked for this afternoon. I'll get in tomorrow morning. I'll see you then. We've got a lot to talk about, babe."

— H50 —

Three HPD officers made a point of telling Steve that his friend was going back to New Jersey. They meant it to hurt, but Steve was relieved. Ever since he'd seen Kono giving up her badge in HPD, he'd felt a tremendous weight of guilt for getting his team into trouble. He was glad Danny was safe, he told himself. He was glad.

But lonely.

"Your lawyer is here," an officer said, breaking him out of his introspection.

Though he hadn't called a lawyer, Steve went docilely. Anything to get out of the holding cell.

"Commander McGarrett, remember me?" asked the woman in the interview room when they were alone.

Steve remembered a desperate phone call, a woman and her son fleeing a car targeted by a mad bomber.

"Meachum, right? Diana Meachum," Steve said.

"That's right. I'll be your attorney, if you're agreeable."

"Thank you," Steve said. "Can you tell me if my friends are OK? I know Chin's gone back to HPD." Though the lieutenant had murmured words of encouragement to Steve when he removed the prisoner's handcuffs. "And I heard Danny went back to New Jersey." He half-hoped that was some kind of cover story, but the lawyer just nodded her head in agreement. "What happened to Kono? She was under arrest?"

"She's being investigated for stealing $10 million. She's been staying at a friend's home, Jenna. Ms. Kalakaua said she's housesitting while Jenna goes home to Virginia. But Lt. Kelly told me really Kono is trying to avoid her nosy family."

Steve tried to smile at the little joke, but the thought of Kono separated from her family the way Chin had been was just too sad.

So Jenna was gone, too. Steve wondered who that left to help him. Someone was, or the lawyer wouldn't be there. Curiosity stirred his apathy.

"Who sent you?"

Meachum smiled to see the faint sign of animation on the weary face before her. "I'm not supposed to say, but I do have a message for you: 'Still got your back, babe'."

The smile started on Steve's lips then flashed across his whole face until his eyes blazed with renewed energy. He wasn't forgotten. Even if Danny was going home to Jersey, he was still looking out for his partner.

"Let's get started," Steve suggested to the lawyer. "It's a long story."

— H50 —

**Next chapter: Denial of Service Attack**


	2. Denial of Service Attack

_Author's Note: This is not a linear story.  
>Chapter 2 begins where Oia'i'o leaves off, which is before Chapter 1 of Thin Ice.<br>But, to balance out, Chapter 2 ends after Chapter 1 ends. Thanks for all the nice reviews. Maybe I can make 100 with this story. It might just be long enough. _

— H50 —

**Thin Ice in Honolulu**

**Chapter 2: Denial of Service Attack**

— H50 —

Leaving HPD that fateful evening, Kono Kalakaua wasn't thinking about the loss of her badge or the loss of a career she'd only had for a year, she was thinking about Steve McGarrett. He'd looked so lost, so stunned, when they took his photos for booking. She couldn't believe they thought he'd blown up Laura Hills.

When she got to the privacy of her Cruze, Kono pulled out her cell phone and called a friend in the building, forensic scientist Charlie Fong.

"Kono! I heard about the IA investigation. I'm sorry," he said immediately.

"The speed of light has nothing on the speed of rumor in HPD," she joked feebly.

"I'm sure it's a mistake that'll all be cleared up soon," he commiserated.

She had a hard time believing that, because she was guilty as charged; but she didn't regret it. The crazy plan had saved Chin life. She'd give up her badge for her cousin any day.

"I'm not worried about myself," she said. "I'm worried about Steve McGarrett. I saw him being booked for Laura Hills' murder."

"No," Charlie interrupted her.

"No?"

"He's being booked for the murder of Governor Jameson."

"What? The governor's dead?"

"Where have you been?" Charlie exclaimed.

"Locked up in an IA interrogation room," Kono answered.

"Sorry," Charlie apologized. He quickly explained what he knew about Steve taking out the governor's security and breaking into the governor's office, later being found with the governor's body and an almost literally smoking gun in his hand.

"OK, Charlie, listen to me," Kono said urgently. "Steve is being framed. He was being framed for killing Laura Hills and this is just more of the same. Can you process Steve? For gunshot residue and whatever? I trust you."

"Funny, Lieutenant Kelly said the same thing," Charlie said. "I'm collecting my gear now."

"Who?"

"Lieutenant Kelly. Your cousin, Chin Ho Kelly?" Charlie said, unable to keep a "duh" out of his voice.

"Lieutenant?"

This time Charlie didn't ask where she'd been. "The chief offered him his job back, with the promotion he would have earned by this time if he hadn't been falsely accused," he told her.

"God! Go away for one day and everything changes," Kono tried to joke as she rubbed her tired eyes. "I wonder if Danny's OK," she muttered, team player to the last.

"He was OK an hour ago. The guys on the scene say he was yelling at Kelly when the lieutenant arrested McGarrett," Charlie offered. (The crime lab was gossip central at HPD.)

Kono hadn't known her heart could sink any farther. "Chin did what?" she said, almost in a whisper.

"Lieutenant Kelly was the first man on the scene. He was the arresting officer. Kono," Charlie said urgently. "He probably saved McGarrett's life. I've heard a lot of guys say they would have just shot the commander."

"OK. OK," Kono said, calming herself down. "OK, I know Chin." Whatever he did, he did for his ohana. "I trust him. And I trust you, Charlie. Do you know where Chin is now?"

"I think he's still at the governor's office. He took a statement from McGarrett, then went back to the scene to supervise the evidence gathering."

She could tell by the sound that the scientist was on the move.

"I've got to go, Kono. You know, I appreciate your trust, but I won't falsify the data for your friend."

"I don't want you to," Kono said earnestly. "I know Steve. He's no murderer. The evidence will prove him innocent."

"OK."

"And Charlie. Don't think I'm paranoid but there really is someone out to get Steve. You'd better take multiple samples. And maybe hide a couple."

"Yeah," Charlie said soberly. "Lieutenant Kelly said the same thing. Good luck, Kono."

"Thank you, Charlie. I mean it. Thanks."

After ending the call, Kono tried calling Chin and Danny, but only got their voicemails. She sat back in her seat, trying to decide where to go and could only think of one place.

She tried another call. "Kono, thank God!" Jenna Kaye exclaimed. "I've been so worried. Have you seen the news?"

"No, but I saw Steve being booked at HPD."

"It's horrible," Jenna said. "They showed … On the news, they showed Chin pushing Steve into a patrol car and Danny was yelling at him. The governor's dead and Steve was there. That's all I know. I haven't been able to get Chin or Danny."

"Do you mind if I come over, Jenna? I don't know where else to go," Kono said wearily, the long, stressful day catching up to her.

"Please come, I'm kind of scared to be alone," Jenna confessed.

Kono didn't blame her at all.

Kono retreated to Jenna's little apartment — with its brand new, high security door — in order to get away from the expected calls of sympathy and recrimination from her family. The IA investigation might not be public, but she had too many cop relatives to think it would be a secret from her family for long.

— H50 —

After he helped Danny clean up his kitchen and forced his friend to eat something — even if it was just Froot Loops and a banana, Chin joined the women at Jenna's apartment. He brought them teriyaki burgers and fries and some slightly stale malasadas (half price because the bakery was about to close), because, God knew, they needed something sweet to take the taste of disaster out of their mouths.

The women fell on the food like starving wolves. Had any of them eaten anything since breakfast? Chin wondered. Maybe that was part of the reason he felt so defeated, he thought, as he savaged his burger. (He was glad Danny wasn't there to see the pineapple on it. It would have been the last straw for the Jerseyan.)

Thinking of his friend reminded Chin of Danny's revelations. His stomach knotted up and he set down the burger half-finished. He didn't spoil the meal for the others, though. He waited until the girls were licking powdered sugar off their fingers, before he dropped his bomb.

"Danny's going back to New Jersey tomorrow."

Kono froze in mid-lick. "He's leaving? Just like that? He can't …" The sorrow in her cousin's eyes stopped her protest. "Danny wouldn't abandon us. He wouldn't abandon Steve," she said with certainty. "So why?" she asked more calmly.

"He was hit by the denial of service attack, too, wasn't he?" Jenna asked serenely, reaching for another ball of fried dough.

"Denial of service?" Kono asked. She knew what it meant to websites, she just didn't see how it applied.

"Sorry, I think in techie terms," Jenna apologized. "When someone wants to take down a website, they send it a ton of information all at once. They overload its processors."

Chin and Kono nodded. They understood that much. "Like an old Star Trek episode," Chin said drily.

"Exactly," Jenna agreed. "I should have seen it sooner," she apologized again. "Once I did see it, it was too late. I couldn't get ahold of anyone to warn them."

"Everything was happening at once," Chin said, recalling Danny's words.

"That was kind of the point," Jenna agreed. "You got hit, each of you, all at once. Steve being accused of Laura's murder. Kono being accused of stealing $10 million…"

"Me with an offer of reinstatement," Chin said sadly.

"That's not a bad thing," Kono protested.

"No, but it's a distraction," Jenna explained. "When I realized that, I knew Danny must have been hit, too, but I didn't know how." She waited brightly for Chin to explain.

He told the women what Danny had said and how he suspected Rachel of working for Wo Fat.

"So, she's not really pregnant," Kono murmured, trying to work through the data.

"That would be an improbable coincidence," Jenna agreed. "Just bait to lure Danny away."

"Shut up, Jenna, Shut up," Chin said angrily, remembering shattered hopes represented by a shattered beer bottle.

Kono put her hand on her cousin's arm. "Easy, cuz, she's just got her analyst's hat on." She mimed lifting a helmet off Jenna's head. "Think, girlfriend. We're not talking about some academic problem. We're talking about Danny and the woman he loves."

Jenna gasped, remembering the pain of losing her fiancé, remembering the guilt that her information had betrayed him into Wo Fat's hands.

"Oh God, I'm sorry," she gasped. "Poor Danny!"

"No, I'm sorry," Chin said, squeezing her shoulder. "You're the one thinking clearly here."

"Now I'm worried about something else," Kono said to Jenna. "Why didn't Wo Fat deny us your service?"

They knew Wo Fat knew about Jenna. He'd threatened her life once. Jenna shivered at the thought. She was not in the public eye like the Five-0 squad. Wo Fat might not waste an elaborate plot on her. He might simply have her shot.

"I think you should do like Danny and go home," Chin said.

Jenna wanted to protest, but thought again. "Well, I've backed up most of Wo Fat's files on a cloud site and managed to save most of the Laura Hills date there, too, before HPD chased me out of Five-0. They took the laptop I was using, but that wasn't my personal computer. I could analyze the data just as easily from Virginia."

Kono sat up straight. "Or from New Jersey?"

"Do you think he'd agree?" Chin wondered.

"I'm pretty sure Danny trusts me, if that's what you're asking," Jenna said. Even though she was running every countermeasure against eavesdropping known to the CIA, and a couple she'd made up herself, Jenna still dropped her voice to a whisper when she said, "Danny told me about the $10 million. That you really did steal it."

That was trust times two, because Danny was trusting Jenna with the lives and futures of Steve and Kono; but then, Jenna had saved Danny's life. That was a bond Chin and Kono had to respect.

"And this doesn't bother you?" Chin queried cautiously.

Jenna tilted her head at him. "I worked for the CIA," she reminded them.

"Right, silly question," Chin agreed.

— H50 —

Internal Affairs Detective Ahuna stopped Chin the next day when the lieutenant strode into HPD after dropping Danny off.

"I need to talk to you about your cousin," Ahuna said.

"Not now," Chin said impatiently.

"I'm investigating the theft of $10 million from the HPD asset forfeiture locker," Ahuna barked.

"I'm investigating the murder of the governor of Hawaii!"

Ahuna caught Chin's arm. "Look, it's your duty to help IA."

Chin yanked his arm away and rounded on the detective. "Help you! I know how IA works," the lieutenant said scornfully. "First you decide who's guilty, then you twist the facts to fit."

Ahuna dragged Chin into an empty office, closing the door on all the curious eyes watching. "When we were checking out your uncle's case, we found $10 million in the locker where the serial numbers didn't match the records. Two days ago, we found $10 million burned in a field, and those numbers did match. And we have a witness that places Officer Kalakaua outside the asset forfeiture locker on Christmas Eve," he hissed.

"$10 million? There's only one pile of cash that big in the locker. Would this be part of the $28 million drug investigation?"

"Yes," Ahuna admitted.

"You mean, the $28 million that was found — by Five-0 — in sandbags on the steps of HPD after the fake tsunami? The $28 million that included the $200,000 I was accused of stealing? You mean the asset forfeiture locker with the revolving door?" Chin sarcastically.

Ahuna flushed.

"I am so impressed with your investigating, Ahuna," Chin said, voice dripping with derision. "One day after fragments of burned money were found, you have a suspect and a witness and you know exactly what day the money was taken, out of how many years it was unaccounted for? I'd like to know how you turned up that witness so fast and I'd really like to know who pointed you at Kono in the first place. I knew IA had it in for me. I never thought you'd be low enough to extend that to my cousin."

"It's not a vendetta," Ahuna insisted. "We're following the evidence."

"A nice, convenient trail of evidence."

"Look," Ahuna said reasonably. "I need to get a statement about Christmas Eve from you and Williams."

Chin glanced at his watch. "Danny's on a plane back to New Jersey right now."

"What?"

"He was supposed to leave yesterday — you can check; but everything went to hell and he missed his flight," Chin decided to be more reasonable. He needed to protect Danny, the only free agent that Five-0 had. "Anyway, he can't tell you much about what Kono was up to on Christmas Eve. Danny was with me, when Steve and Kono went after Hesse."

"Why didn't McGarrett take his partner?" Ahuna asked suspiciously.

_Because he didn't want Grace's father involved in stealing $10 million from the asset forfeiture locker, _Chin thought. But there was another reason, too; the reason Danny hadn't argued (much) about being left behind. "Hesse told Steve to come alone. We knew I was being watched. Danny stayed with me, in plain sight, so Hesse would think Steve was alone. Hesse never thought about the rookie, but Kono helped Steve take him. That's all I can tell you. I've got work to do." He shoved past Ahuna out the door.

An honest cop, Chin didn't like lying to IA, but they hadn't believed him when he told the truth, so to hell with them now. His ohana had risked their lives and their honors to save him. Now Chin would do anything to help them.

— H50 —

**Next chapter: Going to Ground**


	3. Going to Ground

**Thin Ice in Honolulu**

**Chapter 3: Going to Ground**

It wasn't easy to keep the short, blond man in view in the crowded airport but the pudgy Hawaiian had orders to do just that, to follow him clear to New Jersey if necessary to make sure he was out of Wo Fat's hair for good. The follower grunted in annoyance as a man bumped him hard, but kept his attention on his quarry as Danny Williams went through security.

The watcher didn't see the man who'd bumped him sidle up to a security officer.

"That man in the blue suit. I saw a knife in his pocket," the bumper said hoarsely.

No one was more surprised than the watcher when security cautiously approached him, searched him and found a switchblade in his coat pocket. By the time the resulting furor and uproar had been sorted out, the man's plane was long gone, carrying Danny Williams to Chicago on the first leg of his trip home.

On the curb outside the airport, the bumper sidled up to an oversized Hawaiian.

"You did good, brah," Kamekona said, slapping a hundred bucks in the pickpocket's outstretched hand.

— H50 —

Before the plane took off, oblivious to the commotion in the airport, Danny slouched in the window seat, gazing unseeing at the men loading luggage and plucking his lower lip thoughtfully. He was trying to plan his next move, but the only thought in his tired mind was, "I hope I don't get a seatmate who wants to talk the whole flight."

"Excuse me," a girlish voice said. "Do you mind if I take the window seat. It will be more secure later." Jenna Kaye patted the case of her laptop.

Danny swore in surprise. Jenna hunched her shoulders defensively. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, but I was just hoping I didn't get a chatterbox for a seatmate," Danny said with a smile, as he stood to change seats with the young woman.

"Oh. That's the pot calling the kettle black, isn't it, detective?" she said pertly.

"What are you doing here?"

"Chin thought it might be safer if I seemed to flee Hawaii," Jenna answered. "I was the only one who wasn't indirectly attacked yesterday."

Danny nodded understanding. "So you might be the victim of a direct attack, now that none of us is available to back you up."

"Exactly. I thought we could get some work done on the flight," Jenna said tentatively. "We can't connect to the Internet while flying, but we have lots of data we can sort through and we can plan our next move. That is, if you want my help."

"I was wondering how to pull a data analyst out of my hat," Danny admitted. He'd had a couple of ideas, people he'd known in Jersey, but Jenna's assistance would make everything easier. God bless Chin Ho Kelly.

"I brought you some things," Jenna said, pulling two burn phones from her purse. Danny had left his possibly traceable phone on the dresser of his Honolulu apartment. "And this …" She held out a printout. "I took a look at Rachel Edwards' financials last night. Though Stanley Edwards skirts the edge of legality — as many businessmen do — there is nothing suspicious in Rachel's accounts. No unexplained funds or strange expenditures. Whatever she did, Danny, she did out of fear, or love, not for money."

If Danny's hand shook when he took it, she politely pretended not to notice. But she blushed when he leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"I'm really sorry, Danny," Jenna said.

"Thank you," the detective sighed. "Maybe I'm not destined to be a happy person. I'm not very good at it anyway. I'm better at angry."

But Jenna didn't think he looked angry. He just looked sad.

— H50 —

Danny and Jenna worked together throughout the flight, analyzing data and making plans. They split up in Chicago. Danny shook Jenna's hand, but she grabbed him in a hug before towing her carry-on and lugging her laptop to the gate for her flight to Washington, D.C.

Danny watched her go, then went the other way to catch his flight. He didn't bother to see whether anyone was watching him. Since 9/11, it was harder to get into an airport; but all it took was buying a ticket to get past security. Danny was sure Wo Fat could afford a ticket, but he wasn't trying to hide his destination — yet.

While waiting for his connection, Danny made several calls via one of the burn phones, then settled back for his flight to Newark.

When Danny's taxi pulled up at his parents' house in Piscataway, it was followed by a black sedan, which in turn was followed by a white patrol car. Danny paid off the cab and went inside, while the sedan loitered on the residential street. A uniformed office got out of the patrol car and ostentatiously wrote down the license number of the sedan, then he stepped toward it. The sedan pulled away promptly and drove sedately down the street and around the corner. The patrol officers watched it go. The driver spoke into the car radio.

Another sedan, dark blue just for variety, pulled up in front of the patrol car.

The door of the house opened and Danny came out, ushering Rachel and Grace before him. They paused to exchange hugs and kisses with Danny's parents.

"Come again when you can stay longer," Danny's mother said sarcastically. (You knew he got it from somewhere.) But her mockery was almost hidden by the trembling of her voice.

"Sorry, ma, you'll be safer when we're gone," Danny said as he kissed her cheek. "The police will have extra patrols in the area for a couple of weeks. If you see anything strange, dial 9-1-1."

"Take care, son," Mr. Williams said, shaking Danny's hand as his wife kissed her granddaughter.

"Too late for that, Dad," Danny replied.

Danny loaded his family's suitcases in the trunk of the blue car and climbed in the back with Rachel and Grace.

"Thanks for the lift, Sam," he said to his former partner, as she pulled away from the curb.

"Anything for you, Danny," the auburn-haired woman answered.

"Mackie." Danny slapped hands with the man in the passenger seat.

"Danny, I thought you were imagining things, until that car followed you from the airport."

"Babe, I'm in so deep, the Atlantic looks like a fishpond," Danny replied. "My partner is falsely accused of killing the governor of Hawaii and there are some heavy hitters who don't want me to prove him innocent. I appreciate you taking care of my girls while I work on it."

"You're still family, Danny," Sam Podolski replied.

Sam drove to a safe house where Danny intended to leave Rachel and Grace. He was heading back to his old precinct where he could go to ground in familiar territory.

"Daddy, I'm scared," Grace said, clinging to her father in the narrow hall of the brownstone. "I don't understand. Where are you going?"

"I've got to get your Uncle Steve out of trouble again, monkey," Danny said lightly.

"The newspaper said he killed the governor," Grace said into her father's shoulder. "He wouldn't do that."

"No, he wouldn't."

"Somebody framed him?"

Where had she learned that? Danny wondered, but he agreed with her assessment.

"I'm going to unframe him," he promised. "And I have a mission for you. I need you to help keep Uncle Steve's spirits up."

He explained what he had in mind.

"OK," Grace agreed readily. "Be careful, Daddy."

"I will. Love you."

"Love you more," the girl said, then relinquished her father to her mother.

Danny was stone in Rachel's arms. His face was granite. He knew his suspicions were correct because she had never once asked why they needed to leave his parents' home or why they were playing shell games with cop cars.

"Rachel, why did you want to rush off to New Jersey?" he asked coldly.

"I told you."

His hands were gentle on her shoulders, but unyielding. "Rachel."

She surrendered. "A man called. He threatened us — Grace, me and you. He said if we weren't out of Hawaii by the 13th, he would kill us all. He sent these as proof." She pulled the cardboard bottom out of her purse and handed it to Danny. Taped to the underside were two photos. One showed Wo Fat with Rachel at the grocery store. The other showed Wo Fat talking to Grace on the steps of her school.

"We were talking about bread," Rachel said bitterly, but Danny hardly heard.

Red rage clouded his vision and thundered in his ears. Wo Fat had touched his daughter. Danny clenched his fists and breathed deeply to control his fury.

"When …" He cleared his congested voice. "When did you get these?"

"Two weeks ago."

Danny clenched his fists tighter. Two weeks ago. If he'd known Wo Fat was making a move two weeks ago …

"You should have told me," he said hoarsely.

Rachel hugged Danny, but he did not yield to her.

"Danny, I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry I lied to you, but I was afraid."

"I understand, Rachel, I do; but it hurts," Danny said into her ear. "You used my love for you as a weapon. You deliberately distracted me. I didn't back up my partner when he needed me and now Steve's paying the price." That was an unforgiveable sin in Danny's book and Rachel knew it. "And there is no baby."

"No," Rachel agreed quietly.

"That's a pain that won't go away anytime soon," Danny said. He touched her hair, then turned away.

Rachel let Danny go, wondering if she would ever hold him again. In trying to save him, she had pushed him away — again.

Danny changed, and then gave further instructions to Grace and Sam.

"Daddy, when are we going back to Hawaii?" Grace asked hesitantly. This was obviously not a normal visit to her grandparents. She was scared and she wanted to go home.

"When it's safe, monkey," Danny told his daughter. He stroked her hair, looking at Rachel as if daring her to argue. "As soon as it's safe, we're going back to Hawaii."

Then Danny picked up two grocery bags full of clean laundry.

"Take care of them, Sam," he said.

"Like they were my own," the woman detective promised.

Wearing jeans and a hoodie and a Red Sox baseball cap (the ultimate disguise as far as the Yankees fan was concerned), Danny walked away carrying his grocery bag suitcases.

— H50 —

Jenna took a cab from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to the McLean, Virginia, neighborhood called Langley. She sneaked a look once in awhile on the ten-minute trip, but couldn't tell if she was being followed. _I guess I'm not really a very good field agent, yet,_ she thought. It didn't really matter. She didn't think Wo Fat's spies would care to hang around outside Spy Central, if they bothered to spy on her at all.

Inside CIA headquarters, she asked for Blaine Rickwald, the chief of transportation. He had befriended the low level analyst after a cafeteria accident involving chocolate milk and Tabasco sauce.

He greeted her exuberantly. "Back to stay?" he asked, after giving her a hug.

"Not for good. I've still got more than a month on my leave before I see whether anyone wants me back," she answered. "But Hawaii got a little too exciting, so I came back east."

Blaine shook his hand, acknowledging just how exciting Hawaii had gotten two days ago.

"So, if you're not coming back to work, why did you come to see me?" he asked shrewdly.

"I wanted a favor, if it's not too much trouble," Jenna said diffidently.

Two hours later, a helicopter took off on a scheduled flight to pick up a diplomat at the United Nations. Jenna hitched a ride to New York, figuring that ought to throw off anyone who dared camp outside the CIA waiting for her. From the UN building, she took the train to New Jersey and walked to the address Danny had given her, towing her wheeled carry-on behind her.

When she entered Tuscana restaurant, she realized how hungry she was. The smells of garlic and grilled meat made her mouth water. The motherly hostess approached with a smile of welcome.

"I'm looking for the Selleck party," Jenna said.

The woman's smile grew broader. "Right this way," she said.

She ushered Jenna into the back, past the private rooms and the kitchen, to a narrow wooden stairway leading up. "Giulio!" she bellowed, making Jenna start.

A dark-haired boy about 16 poked his head around the corner, saw the women and galloped down the steps. At a gesture from the woman, he picked up Jenna's bag and galloped up the stairs again.

The woman made a disgusted sound that didn't need to be translated from Italian. "Boys!" she said, and turned back toward the kitchen. "Tell Daniele if you need anything."

Jenna trotted up the steps, leaving the restaurant and entering Circuit City — or so it seemed. There were monitors, cables, computers — enough gear to stock a big box store. The boy was scurrying around, connecting wires and cables. Directing him by gesturing with a loaded fork, was Danny Williams sleeves rolled up and muscular arms bare. He sat at a plain Formica kitchen table with a bottle of wine, a bowl of salad, a dish of stuffed pasta and a plate of grilled chicken. He took a swallow of wine to wash down a mouthful of food and leaped to his feet to greet his coworker.

"Hungry?" he asked with a grin, when her attention strayed back to the table.

"Starving," she admitted.

He gestured her to the second chair where a place was already set for her.

"I hope you like cannelloni," he said, serving a helping from each dish and pouring a glass of wine.

Jenna took a bite of the pasta shells stuffed with mushrooms, olives and cheese. She rolled her eyes skyward in a prayer of thanks. Danny laughed and resumed eating himself. "Mama Rossini makes the best Tuscan food in Newark."

"My God, it's heavenly," Jenna said fervently, then she tried the chicken, which was simply grilled, a perfect contrast to the rich pasta.

"To do this properly, we should have the food in courses, but I didn't know when you'd get here," Danny apologized.

"You don't have to apologize for this feast," Jenna said, adding, "I don't think I was followed, Danny, but I'm not sure."

He waved it away, fork in hand. "Not to worry. I've got eyes on the street."

Her first hunger satisfied, Jenna paused to scan the computer setup. "Nice," she admired. "I can't believe you got this set up so fast."

"I called ahead," the detective answered. "I know people, too," he said, thinking of all McGarrett's connections. "Just most of the people I know are on the East Coast."

"And how do you know Giulio?" Jenna asked.

"He got into a little trouble," Danny answered.

"It wasn't my fault," the boy protested.

"It's true," Danny agreed. "He was just a kid. I helped him out of trouble. His Dad owns a computer store and is willing to let me borrow a few things for a couple of weeks."

"Why am I thinking that wasn't a 'little' trouble Giulio was in?" Jenna said.

"I could have been charged with murder," Giulio answered. "Detective Williams proved I didn't do it." Jenna saw hero worship in the boy's eyes.

Danny flapped his hand at both of them. "Just doing my job."

"Ha!" Mrs. Rossini came up the steps carrying a fruit tart for dessert. "Weekends and overtime is not 'just doing my job.' You believed in my nephew when no one else did."

"He's an awfully good judge of character," Jenna said.

"The boys say no one followed your friend, Daniele."

"Jenna, this is Mrs. Rossini. Mama, this is Jenna."

"Jenna No Last Name, I'm pleased to meet you," Mrs. Rossini said dryly.

Danny shook his finger at her.

She shook hers back. "Yes, I know you have secrets. Well, they are safe here and so are you."

Danny gave her a kiss that made her blush and hurry back to her kitchen.

"Give Giulio your gear," the detective suggested to Jenna. "He can hook it up while we finish."

Giulio murmured appreciation at the quality of Jenna's laptop and accessories. He started humming as he plugged them in.

Jenna hummed along as she took her first bite of the scrumptious tart. "I'm going to get fat working here," she predicted.

"As much as I like being home, let's hope we're not here long enough to get fat," Danny answered. "We want to get Steve out of jail before he has to go to trial."

"Do you really think we can accomplish something so quickly?" Jenna asked dubiously. "I've been tracking Wo Fat for a long time. So has Five-0."

"Mm," Danny agreed. "But we have two things in our favor now. First, Wo Fat has made his move, giving us new evidence to work with. He pulled the strings and made us dance, but now we can follow the strings back to the puppet master."

"And second?"

"Before, we had other jobs to do. Wo Fat was just a hobby. Now he's a fulltime occupation," Danny said with determination.

**Next chapter: Trouble Magnet**


	4. Trouble Magnet

_Author's note: Thanks for all the great reviews. Keep them coming._

**Thin Ice in Honolulu**

**Chapter 4: Trouble Magnet**

After the deputy brought Steve McGarrett into the courtroom, he joined his lawyer, Diana Meachum, at the defense table. Meachum thought he should have worn his uniform, but Steve flatly refused to make the U.S. Navy a part of his disgrace.

His dark suit and white shirt weren't all that different in appearance, but a hundred percent different in significance. He even had a tie on, he thought with a pang, wishing his partner was there to see it.

He had a hard time believing Danny wasn't there after his partner had sworn to help him; but the cops had told him Danny went to New Jersey. Steve turned and scanned the room. No, no Danny. A lot of familiar faces, mostly reporters, but Kono Kalakaua gave him a weak smile from the second row where she apparently was saving two seats. If Danny had gone back to New Jersey, why would she need two more seats?

As if on cue, the courtroom door opened, letting in a clamor of voices from the hall. Steve winced. Lots of people hungered to see the governor's killer in the flesh, but the judge had made it clear that only people with a connection to the case would be allowed into the arraignment. Chin Ho Kelly slipped into the room followed by a tall blond, who seemed vaguely familiar. As the men took the seats beside Kono, Steve placed the blond. He was Adam Gregson, a well known bail bond agent.

With Chin there to guard her seat, Kono approached the bar. Under the watchful eye of the deputy, she stood well back, but within speaking distance.

"Hey, boss," she said with an attempt at cheerfulness. "You all right?"

"Yeah, I'm good," he replied. Those few words from a friend did make him feel better. "You OK, Kono?"

"Oh sure," she started, then shrugged. "As good as can be expected." She saw Steve's eyes restlessly roaming the audience. "He's not coming, boss," she said kindly.

"They made sure to tell me he was going back to Jersey," Steve said, trying but obviously not succeeding, to keep the hurt out of his voice.

Kono glanced at her watch. "He's probably still in the air. It's a long trip. Steve, there isn't time to explain now, but you know he didn't want to leave you in trouble like this. He had to go. It was a family emergency."

Steve felt relief for himself, and then worry for his friend. He started to say something, but Kono shook her head. "Just leave it for now," she advised.

Steve searched for another topic, anything to prolong the first friendly conversation he'd had in two days. (Nice as she was, the lawyer didn't count. That was business.)

"Why's Chin with Gregson?" he asked, watching the two men put their heads together.

Kono rolled her eyes. "Why do you think?" she said gently.

Steve's eyes widened. A bail bondsman, and Chin had $200,000 still lying around the house (figuratively speaking). That would be enough of a fee to secure $2 million in bail for Steve, but then Chin would never see that money again. That would be like stealing his friend's house.

"No, Kono, tell him not to do it," Steve begged.

Seeing the prisoner get agitated, the deputy put his hand on his weapon. Meachum caught her client's arm and pulled him back into the chair. "Sit down and behave," she warned. "You need to make a good impression."

All Steve could think about was his vendetta eating up Chin's life savings.

"Kono," he said hoarsely.

"Sorry, boss," she said sadly, backing away. "I couldn't stop him from using the money for uncle. I don't think I can stop him from using it for you."

She returned to Chin's side and whispered to him. He patted her hand, then sent Steve a look that clearly said, I refuse to let you down. Steve turned in his seat, "God."

"What is it?" Meachum asked.

"My friend has scraped up $200,000 to give a bail bondsman."

"Really?" Meachum was interested. "Then, if we can get the bail down to $2 million, you can go home."

"I can't take it. It's his life savings," Steve said urgently.

"It might be your life," the lawyer pointed out. "You have a lot of enemies in jail."

— H50 —

As it turned out, Steve was worried for nothing. Meachum argued persuasively that Steve was a decorated veteran and a respected member of the community. (Danny would have snickered, Steve thought.) But in the end, the judge just couldn't grant bail to a man found standing over the governor's body with a gun in his hand.

Chin could keep his $200,000.

Steve would go to jail.

Specifically, he would go to Oahu Community Correctional Center, the typical place for someone awaiting trial. Because he was a police officer with enemies on the inside, he was placed on administrative hold and was to be kept away from other inmates.

But first they had to get inside the jail.

Because of the seriousness of the charges against him and the dangerous SEAL skills he possessed, Steve was shackled during the transfer. He shuffled along, handcuffed hands fastened by a chain to a hobble around his ankles. Steve hated it, but he submitted without protest. Meachum had told him to be good and not cause trouble. She told him Danny had said the same, and Chin, and Kono. Try to stay out of trouble while we try to help you, they all said.

But Danny also said Steve was a trouble magnet.

As he shuffled out of the admissions area, a crowd of inmates passing on a cross corridor suddenly swarmed around him and Steve disappeared in the sea of orange. Shouting, flailing batons, four guards tried to break up the surging, swirling, shouting mob.

They finally drove the men away, guards O'Connor and Kaiako shoving them back against the wall with batons held in two hands.

"He all right?" O'Connor shouted over his shoulder.

Guards Tukia and Alapai looked down at the two men on the ground and scratched their heads. A shackled man shouldn't be able to fight — that was the point. But this was Steve McGarrett.

While the majority of inmates served as a distraction, he had been attacked by one man with a screwdriver sharpened to a chisel point. The inmate stabbed upwards, to get under Steve's ribs, but that put his weapon within reach of Steve's cuffed hands. The SEAL caught the knife hand and twisted sideways, using the leverage of his falling body to shove the weapon aside and pull the attacker close. The screwdriver gouged Steve's left shoulder, but the SEAL ignored the wound.

The men fell with Steve on his back and the attacker prone with his head on Steve's breastbone, nicely placed for Steve to slip the chain under the attacker's chin.

When the guards looked down, they saw the shackled man choking his attacker who flailed wildly with his blade. Steve couldn't get a good grip to choke the man unconscious and the attacker was too close to get a good swing with the makeshift knife, all he could do was tear another strip from Steve's bleeding shoulder.

"Cut it out! Let him go," ordered Alapai.

"Get the knife," Steve said, turning his head as the blade flashed perilously near his eye.

Tukia waited his moment, then struck the attacker on the elbow with his baton. The inmate's arm went numb and the screwdriver dropped from his hand. The guard caught the attacker by the collar and pulled him from Steve's unresisting grip. Tukia threw the man against the wall.

"What was that for?" he shouted in the inmate's face.

The inmate, Terry Dunn, smirked. He was a lifer. What more could the state of Hawaii do to him?

"He's a cop. I hate cops," was his only answer.

He'd probably been paid for this attack, the guards realized. Tukia marched him off to his cell.

Steve struggled to his feet, bleeding from his shoulder. He could tell there was no real damage, but the wounds were messy.

"Infirmary," O'Connor said, returning from herding the fractious inmates into their cells. He reached for his key to free Steve's feet. Alapai gestured to stop him. O'Connor tilted his head. "Is there really much point in the shackles?"

Alapai remembered Steve besting Dunn despite the chains. "I suppose not," he agreed.

Freed from his bonds, Steve stretched gratefully, then turned his head to regard his shoulder. _Couldn't stay out of trouble for ten minutes,_ he imagined his partner scolding.

— H50 —

Usually new inmates were only allowed visits from their attorneys and immediate family, but Chin made arrangements for Kono and himself to be included on the approved list. Kono was the first to go see Steve in jail where they were separated by thick Plexiglas, speaking through telephone handsets.

"Thanks for coming," Steve said formally, avoiding Kono's eyes.

"What's wrong, boss," she asked. "Why won't you look at me?"

"I feel so guilty about you losing your badge," Steve said quietly.

Kono wasn't sure they could talk about the stolen $10 million here. "You know there's no expectation of privacy in a jail, right boss?"

Steve's trained senses felt eyes on him all the time. But he didn't know whether he was being watched by enemies or just by honest jail personnel who considered him a highly dangerous assassin.

"I know I'm being watched all the time," he agreed.

"You shouldn't feel guilty," Kono said. "You never forced me to do anything."

"But you were just a rookie and I was in charge."

"You do remember it was my idea," she said drily.

That made the commander look up. Even if the plan had been Steve's, Kono had been the one to point out that $10 million was there for the taking.

"You listen to me," the woman said fiercely. "I would do anything for Chin, or you, or Danny. Any … thing. And I don't regret it."

Steve saw the strength in Kono's eyes. She had lost her surfing career to injury. Maybe she'd lost her second career now, but she was tough. She would survive. Steve had to be just as strong for her and the rest of his friends.

Kono saw understanding in his eyes and nodded, her mouth set in a wry smile. "The whole world does not revolve around you, Steven!" she said, gesturing expansively. The tone of voice was wrong, but the visual effect was an uncanny imitation of a certain Jersey-born detective.

Steve had to smile, but the reminder was also painful. "Kono, why did Danny go back to New Jersey?" he asked.

The woman hesitated, wondering how much she dared tell Steve.

"Did Danny …" His voice faltered. "Did Danny give up on me because he was mad that I didn't listen to him?"

Kono smiled in reassurance. "I won't say he wasn't mad, or that he doesn't think you were stupid, or that he hasn't ranted about you never listening to him — but that's not why he left. He was supposed to leave the night …" How to phrase it. "The night the governor died, but he missed his plane because …"

"Because I ran amok," Steve finished. "Then the part about the family emergency is true? Is he all right?" Steve demanded with quick concern.

"Boss, Rachel told Danny she was pregnant and she wanted to go home to New Jersey immediately."

Steve blinked, trying to process it. He was the only one who'd known that Danny and Rachel were together and even he hadn't known they'd gone that far. "But he never said..."

"He tried, but he got distracted by … uh, a report of a break-in at the governor's office."

"Oh." Steve remembered pulling a gun on his partner when Danny showed up with a six-pack. He had to admit, that had been distracting. "Is Rachel all right?"

This was the tricky part. Steve really needed to know, but how could Kono hint the unthinkable.

"It turned out to be a false pregnancy," she said carefully with a tiny emphasis on "false." Steve's forehead creased as he recognized a hint without understanding it. "Things weren't exactly what they seemed. Rachel was a little too anxious to get Danny to go with her." She laughed lightly. "Funny how everything happens at once," she said, her voice casual but her eyes intense.

It had been explained to her, but Steve would have to figure it out himself.

He mused, _everything happens at once_. That was certainly true. Five-0 had been kept off balance by simultaneous attacks on him and Kono. How did that relate to Rachel's pregnancy, which hadn't been a pregnancy at all. _Things weren't what they'd seemed. _Steve's eyes widened. Chin's reinstatement and Rachel's pregnancy had come at the same time as the investigations into him and Kono. Those seemingly good things had driven wedges between the Five-0 teammates. They were attacks, too, just more subtle.

"Poor Danny," Steve said quietly, trying to control his voice to the proper amount of sympathy, not the shock that Grace's mother was doing Wo Fat's bidding.

The military man had to admire the simultaneous attacks designed to do the maximum damage without looking like attacks at all. Rachel's bait was the perfect bloodless way to get Danny out of Wo Fat's hair. Then Steve caught his breath. But if Danny didn't stay out of the way, if he escaped Wo Fat's web, he'd have a target on his back — a big day-glow target with flashing lights.

"Kono, tell Danny he should stay and take care of Rachel and Grace," Steve said urgently. "Don't come back. Make a new life and forget about Hawaii."

Forget about him. That was what he meant. Kono and he both knew it.

"I can pass the message along, boss," Kono answered as she prepared to leave. "But …" With an impish grin, she bit her lip, tilted her head to one side, then shook her head slowly, "But it ain't gonna happen, babe."

**Next chapter: Follow the Money**


	5. Follow the Money

_Author's note: We're halfway now, and I'm halfway to 100 reviews. Thanks for all the comments. Please keep them coming. _

_Now the story heads back to New Jersey._

**Thin Ice in Honolulu**

**Chapter 5: Follow the Money**

Danny Williams started his detecting in New Jersey by going to Washington, D.C. He came back with temporary Homeland Security credentials.

"How did you do that?" Jenna asked in amazement, as Danny shrugged off his wet raincoat and hung it up.

"I know people," Danny reminded her. "Americans gave up most of their right to privacy after 9/11. We might as well make use of it. The murder of the governor of Hawaii by a former commando could be considered a terrorist act. We are now authorized to look into the possibility of a conspiracy."

"Just what we wanted," Jenna said gleefully.

"I know."

"Of course, we were going to do it anyway," she reminded him.

"This is better," Danny said. "This is official. Running off the rails got us into trouble. Following procedures will get us out."

Jenna looked doubtful. She'd never been a cop. The CIA's rules were a little looser.

"I mean it," Danny said earnestly, pointing emphatically at Jenna and then spreading his hands wide. "We may tiptoe on the edge of the rules by looking at the evidence ourselves, but in the end, we need to prove to the cops and to the courts that Steve is innocent."

"OK," Jenna agreed willingly.

Danny shook his head and muttered, "That was so much easier than talking to Steve."

"I've set up a secure connection so we can talk to Chin and Kono," the woman said. She glanced at her watch. "It's almost 6 a.m. in Honolulu. They should be coming online any minute."

Danny just had time to wash up before his friends' faces appeared on the computer screen. They were together at Chin's home. Kono's hair looked damp, so Danny knew she'd already been out surfing. She deserved the stress relief.

They spent a few moments catching up, then eyed each other in uneasy silence.

"You want to go first, lieutenant?" Danny asked. By damn, he was going to follow protocol!

Chin grinned. "No, brah, this is Five-0 business. You're the man in charge when Steve's not available."

"OK, this is what I had in mind," Danny said with relief. "You two look at the evidence against Steve and against Kono. If you spot anything, Chin, you can drop a hint to HPD."

"Sounds good, except we don't know who we can trust," Chin said. "What if I drop the hint in the wrong ear?"

"That's where Jenna and I come in. We're going to follow the money. We're going to check the financials of everyone at HPD, at Oahu Correctional — because you know Wo Fat's got someone watching Steve — and in the governor's office, including backtracking on Jameson. Ideally, I'd like to tie Jameson to the $10 million she told Steve she replaced and I'd like to find the officials who are reporting to Wo Fat."

"How will that help?" Kono asked.

Danny gave a wolfish grin. "Once we ID our suspects, we look at their phone records. We tracked down Noshimuri through phone calls. I think we can do the same with Wo Fat. He has to keep in touch with his people."

"Sounds like a plan," Chin agreed.

"I'm sending you everything we've got now," Jenna said. "This is all the Laura Hills' evidence we had before they shut us down, all the Champ box info and the data Steve recorded when he broke into the governor's office."

"The first time he broke into her office," Danny amended with a sigh.

"OK, I think Charlie Fong will keep us updated on the evidence from Jameson's murder. He's got no reason to keep it from Chin," Kono said.

"And I'm going to look into that witness against you, cuz. Danny thinks she might not be what she seems," Chin said.

"Not a lot I can do, since I'm under investigation," Kono apologized, looking downcast. "I don't want to taint any of the evidence."

"You've got an important job, kid. You're the only one free to visit Steve, keep his spirits up and reassure him he hasn't been forgotten. God knows what he'll do if he gets desperate," Danny said.

Kono brightened and said, "Got it."

"Danny, how'd you get the Homeland Security credentials?" Chin asked.

"On the East Coast, babe, I know people," Danny answered. "Louis Francetti, a deputy director of Homeland Security, used to be my police chief. He pinned my second and fourth commendations on me."

"Only the second and fourth?" Kono asked in amusement.

"The first was before his time, when I was a patrolman," Danny answered. "The third, well, the mayor wanted to do that one himself, considering Sam and I had saved him, his family and the entire city council."

"What?" his friends exclaimed.

Danny waved their interest away. "It wasn't as exciting as things get with McGarrett. No last minute rescue, dragging people from a burning building. It started with a ranting blog that made someone nervous. Sam and I investigated and found a guy with a stockpile of weapons and a plan to shoot up the city council meeting that night when the mayor was going to be sworn in with his whole family in attendance. It could have been messy, but we kept it neat. Arrested him before he ever left his house."

After they closed the connection to let Chin get to work, Jenna asked, "That's a lot of people to check, Danny. Think we can do it?"

"I've got a forensic auditor coming to help us," the Jerseyan answered. "She'll be here tomorrow morning."

— H50 —

Danny's phone beeped with a text message when he and Jenna were just finishing breakfast the next morning. He checked the note and asked Jenna to come downstairs and give him a hand.

A woman was leaning on an anxious Mrs. Rossini's arm at the bottom of the steep steps. The newcomer was much too thin, her skin pale with an unhealthy grayish cast. An oxygen tank sat beside her, with clear tubes running to her nose. But her eyes were bright, curious and welcoming as Danny clattered down the stairs to greet her.

"Lucy, babe!"

"Danny," she said in a breathy voice. "The wheelchair won't fit through the door."

"I'll get it," he promised. He handed her the oxygen tank, then lifted Lucy in his arms to carry her upstairs. Jenna walked behind in case he stumbled. The ill woman hardly weighed 90 pounds, but the narrow stairs were an awkward fit. Mrs. Rossini followed with Lucy's suitcase.

Danny set his friend in a chair and trotted down the steps to fetch the wheelchair, folding it so he could haul it upstairs. Lucy was breathing deeply from an inhaler when he returned.

The woman's skin had regained some color by the time they got her settled in the chair, with the oxygen tank in its bracket. Her voice sounded steadier, too.

"Sorry for the dramatics," she said. "Darn emphysema. I don't get around much any more. But I never could resist you, handsome." She fluttered her eyes at the much younger man.

"Flirt. You say that to all the boys," he accused.

"True."

"Lucy Montoya, this is Jenna No Last Name. Jenna, this is Lucy. We're in hiding," he explained to the auditor.

"So you said," she agreed and exchanged greetings with Jenna.

"These are our spacious accommodations," Jenna said. Four small rooms — three bedrooms (partially filled with restaurant storage) and a bathroom — opened off the main room, which was now filled with computer equipment. "The rooms are small, but the dining is scrumptious."

Lucy eyed the breakfast table. "Pour me a cup of coffee and let's get to work," she suggested.

— H50 —

Danny seemed relaxed, working easily on the computer despite his usual complaints. He acknowledged, however, that the women were his superiors in this sort of investigation. He told them what he wanted to find, and they went looking for it or told him how to find it. While they did the majority of the work, he fetched and carried for them, bringing them coffee and gelato from downstairs.

Jenna was surprised that the combative Jerseyan was so willing to be instructed.

"You really work well with women," she recognized, and then blushed to realize she'd said that out loud.

"That's because he's short," Lucy advised.

Danny bristled. Lucy waved a thin hand at him, unimpressed. "Don't threaten me," she ordered. "A short man always has to be on his game or bigger guys will ignore him or take advantage."

"Like they will with women," Jenna said, nodding.

"Danny doesn't have anything to prove with us."

"Hey, sitting right here," Danny protested.

"He can be his sweet, lovable self," Lucy finished.

"OK, that part is true," Danny conceded. "Women don't play the same head games men do," he admitted.

"No, we play different ones," Lucy said in amusement.

"True, but men are not expected to compete in the women's head game Olympics," Danny countered.

"True," Lucy answered, gently mocking her friend. "Because there's no sport in defeating the defenseless."

"Defenseless," Danny repeated. He suddenly lost his taste for the banter and excused himself. He went to his room and sat on his bed with his face in his hands.

Lucy sent Jenna a questioning look. "I think he's thinking about Steve," the younger woman said. "They argue like that all the time."

Lucy wheeled herself to the open door. "He must be a good friend," she said kindly.

"The best," Danny said. "But you can't tell him I ever said that."

"I promise," she answered, solemnly crossing her heart.

"He's all alone, Lucy. He thinks I ran home to New Jersey to save my own life. He went crazy last week and I couldn't stop him when I was right there. I'm afraid he'll run amok again and get himself killed and I'll never have a chance to make amends for not backing up my partner when he needed me."

"Hey, Danny!" Jenna called excitedly. "I've got something on one of those names Steve gave to Kono."

Lucy rolled out of the way as Danny raced past her. "You're a good friend, Danny Williams," she said quietly, and went back to tracing Governor Jameson's accounts.

**Next chapter: Perks of the Office**


	6. Perks of the Office

_This is an odd chapter, mostly about guest stars and not our regulars. But you can hear our heroes whispering in the background: Kono to Charlie, Chin to Ahuna, Danny to the governor. (Well, actually, you saw Chin __yelling__ at Ahuna and I don't even know if Danny does whispering.)_

**Thin Ice in Honolulu**

**Chapter 6: Perks of the Office**

The work done in New Jersey came up with red flags for one of the prison guards Steve had pointed out and three HPD officers, including one of the captains. Duke Lukela's records showed nothing unusual, so Chin Ho Kelly ventured to ask the burning question.

"Duke, why did you warn me they were coming to arrest McGarrett?"

"I didn't know he'd run. I thought you'd persuade him to give up," the sergeant said. "I didn't want to see a shootout between Five-0 and HPD." Lukela looked troubled. "All the lights and sirens seem a little over the top, when all we had was McGarrett's fingerprints at Laura Hills' house. They could have been dating for all anyone knew. No one had asked. The whole situation just seemed — wrong. But my call didn't help, did it?" he asked sadly.

"No, it didn't," Chin admitted.

CSI Charlie Fong was working to pull up an erased audio file on Steve McGarrett's cellphone, which he had been keeping on a shelf with evidence from another case. It was still in the lab and it wasn't really misfiled, it was just in a different place than most people would have looked for it.

Loud voices penetrated the glass walls of the lab, making Charlie, and all the other techs, look up.

"If this case goes south because your people are incompetent …" Chief of Police Mahaka yelled at CSI chief Gus White.

"If evidence goes missing from storage, it's not my peoples' fault!" White yelled back.

"Dammit, we caught McGarrett red-handed," Mahaka said, dropping his voice, but not so low that Charlie couldn't hear. "Now we have no evidence to convict him?"

"We'll find it," White answered, also more temperately. "Maybe someone's working on it and forgot to sign for it."

The two men parted stiffly.

White went back to his office and dropped the blinds for privacy's sake. He sat at his desk and rubbed his temples, hoping his headache would go away. The biggest case ever, the murder of the governor, and the evidence was missing.

Charlie knocked once on the office door, then dodged inside before anyone could see. Before White could comment, Charlie dropped a file on his desk. It had Jameson's name on it.

"What's this?"

"I made copies of all the evidence collected from the scene and from McGarrett," Charlie said.

White brightened, then his face fell again. "The reports won't do any good by themselves," he said. "The defense has a right to have their own experts look at the evidence. If it's missing, they can probably get a mistrial."

"I don't just have the reports, boss. I have copies of the evidence. I took multiple samples when I tested McGarrett and his clothes for GSR and I made multiple copies of the photos I took of him in lockup. I separated everything in batches and, ah, some of it's filed under another name."

White studied Charlie curiously. "Almost as if you expected the evidence to go missing."

"Lieutenant Kelly suggested that might happen," Charlie said, deliberately leaving Kono out of the discussion. "He believes McGarrett was framed and someone in HPD is working with the framer."

"This Wo Fat character that McGarrett was babbling about?"

"Yes sir."

White eyed the file as if it was a time bomb. "And you're trusting me with this?"

"Yes sir." Charlie had trusted his boss even before Chin told him that White's name was not on the list of officers with suspect financials.

"Chief Mahaka will be relieved," White said.

"Maybe not," Charlie answered. "Everything I've processed says McGarrett was telling the truth. There's no gunshot residue on his arms or his clothes, only on the palm of his hand as if someone put the gun in it after it was fired. Also, the photos show clear marks of taser burns on his neck. Both are consistent with his story about another shooter."

"So it's evidence that would clear McGarrett that's gone missing," White mused.

"And there's this." Charlie pulled a photo from the file. It was a blow up of McGarrett's fingerprints found at Laura Hills' home. "See this?"

He pointed out a tiny line across the mark of the forefinger.

"What's that, a hair?"

"The mark of one, yes sir. Now look here. And here." Fingerprints from other locations showed the same line, in the same position on the finger.

White swore, because that was impossible.

"It gets worse," Charlie said. "This is the scan of McGarrett's fingerprints in the HPD files. The ones that were taken when he became head of Five-0."

It showed the same hair.

"The hair was on the scanner when the prints were taken," White said bleakly. "Someone used the HPD files to forge McGarrett's prints at the crime scene.

"Yes sir."

"And someone at HPD stole evidence from our lab," the CSI chief growled.

Now White looked at the file as if it was a ticking time bomb. "Charlie, you say you have the evidence safely locked up?" Charlie agreed. "Don't tell anyone in HPD where it is. Not even me."

"Yes sir," Charlie agreed fervently. He made a mental note to tell Kono that her suspicions about the fingerprints had proved correct.

The evidence was beginning to pile up. Soon it could no longer be ignored.

Internal Affairs Detective Ahuna never got his witness on the phone, but when he left a message, the sharp-eyed little old lady turned up at HPD to affirm that she'd seen Kono Kalakaua on the street outside the asset forfeiture locker.

She went into Ahuna's office and froze. "Hello Meg," said the fraud detective from Hilo. "Detective Ahuna, meet Megan Mihara, con artist."

Ahuna looked at her as if she gave him indigestion. "We checked the address you gave. No one of your description lives there."

"In fact, you live clear over in Hilo, Meg, so why were you loitering outside the asset forfeiture locker in Honolulu on Christmas Eve pretending to be part of the neighborhood watch," Detective Martin asked curiously. "Who were you working for?"

"I'm not saying another word without my lawyer," the feisty old lady said firmly.

Ahuna booked her for filing a false police report, for her name and address were both demonstrably false.

"What made you check her out, law-abiding little old lady that she pretends to be?" the Hilo detective asked.

"Lieutenant Kelly suggested it. I thought it was just … well, he's Kalakaua's cousin; but I thought I'd better check out the witness, just to say I did. When the address didn't match, I checked further."

"And got to me," the other man finished. "Well, if your case hinges on Meg's testimony, I don't think much of your chances," Martin said cheerfully.

"No," Ahuna agreed glumly. "And I've got another problem, too."

Kono Kalakaua took a deep breath before she entered HPD headquarters answering the summons of Internal Affairs.

She joined Chin Ho sitting outside Detective Ahuna's office. "I don't know what it's about, cuz," he answered her unspoken question.

The detective opened his door and, with a sour look on his face, invited them in. Two men were inside, one obviously a security guard and one — "Governor?" Chin said in surprise.

"Lt. Kelly. Officer Kalakaua," said the former lieutenant governor, now governor.

Ahuna coughed at the honorific addressed to Kono, but Governor Peter Trent silenced him with an impatient look. "We've discussed this," Trent said.

"Yes sir, but …"

"Chief Mahaka is in agreement."

"Yes sir, but …"

Trent's expression became even more impatient.

"Detective, your witness has been discredited and you've seen the financial information supplied by Williams and Kaye."

Kono couldn't fight down a smile at the familiar names.

Ahuna agreed.

"The missing $10 million was replaced by Governor Jameson," Trent said. "Not from public funds, but from her own personal funds." Ahuna opened his mouth. "No, I don't know how she acquired $10 million in cash, but a significant number of the serial numbers have been traced to her, yes?"

"Yes sir."

"Then, obviously, she sanctioned the removal of the money. Therefore the 'theft' falls under the 'full immunity and means' provision of Five-0."

"But $10 million!"

"Full immunity," Trent said firmly. "Whyever Officer Kalakaua was standing on the street in disguise, she was doing it as a member of Five-0. She's covered. Give her back her badge."

Ahuna grudgingly pulled Kono's badge, ID and gun from his desk drawer. She took them reverently.

"Thank you. Thank you."

"Don't let it go to your head," Ahuna warned. "Keep following McGarrett and you'll end up in jail like him."

Kono lifted her chin combatively. "He's not going to be in jail long."

"May I borrow your office for a few minutes?" the governor said with no expectation of being refused.

Ahuna left and Kono poured out her thanks on the governor.

"I'm glad to help, but I didn't do it entirely for you," the man confessed. "I've been waiting for years to sit in the governor's chair. I am not one to give up any of the perks of the office. Pat Jameson came up with this idea of a task force accountable only to the governor and I liked it. Five-0 has done a lot of good and I'd like to see it back, if it can be proved that Steve McGarrett did not kill Governor Jameson."

"It will be, sir." Chin spoke up for the first time.

"I'm giving you your chance, lieutenant."

"We appreciate it, sir."

Trent grinned. "Detective Williams is pretty persuasive, even long distance."

"Did he talk your ear off, sir?" Chin dared to ask.

Trent rubbed it in remembrance. "Just about. I'm looking forward to meeting him."

"I hope you get the chance," Chin said somberly. "Danny's going to be the bait in the trap, but sometimes the bait gets swallowed."

**Next chapter: How High ****Is**** the Insanity Level?**

_Wait? Did Chin say bait?_


	7. How High Is the Insanity Level?

_Now you can find out what Grace was up to._

_Oh, and this story is almost up to 100 reviews. That would be really nice._

**Thin Ice in Honolulu**

**Chapter 7: How High ****Is**** the Insanity Level?**

Steve McGarrett was glad Danny Williams was safe in New Jersey; that was one life off his conscience. But the prisoner in Oahu Community Correctional Center missed his fiery partner.

Steve had called his sister warning her not to come. He didn't want her to fall into Wo Fat's hands again. She replied she was broke and couldn't afford the plane fare, anyway, but she accepted Steve's collect calls whenever he was able to make one and sent a couple of long, chatty letters and a package of dried fruit and nuts. Was it a California thing, Steve wondered, or was it a critique of his sanity. Maybe he just saw everything as a commentary on his monumental stupidity.

Chin had to maintain his reputation as a by-the-book member of HPD. The only time he visited, he brought Steve a book he said was from Danny called, "Learning Self-Control." Chin reported on the investigation in vague terms, but his eyes spoke volumes in regret.

Apparently Jenna had been overlooked or ignored in the attack on Five-0, maybe because she wasn't officially Five-0. No one wanted her to step into the line of fire by visiting Steve. Kono had mentioned something about Jenna returning home to Virginia. Steve thought it was a hint, because CIA headquarters was in Langley, Virginia.

It was hugely frustrating to have to guard every word he said. On the other hand, the fact that his friends had secrets to keep made Steve feel that progress was being made, though that might be a wishful illusion.

Kono was his only regular visitor — having nothing better to do went unsaid. She chatted about the weather, the waves and her family, and reassured Steve that "we're doing everything we can to get you out."

All Steve could do was read — starting with the self-control book — exercise obsessively and keep an eye on the people who were watching him. Oh, and wait for his mail.

Steve didn't hear from Danny directly, but every day a letter arrived to remind him he wasn't forgotten. Every day without fail, he received a letter postmarked from a different town in New Jersey or New York, but all addressed in a neat, schoolgirl hand.

Inside each was a crayon drawing — yellow sun, green grass, blue waves and bright Hawaiian flowers. One had a girl surfing a big wave, another had a man riding a motorcycle through a field of heart-shaped flowers. There was the Statue of Liberty and a dolphin jumping over a rainbow. The pictures were childish, but recognizable. Steve wondered if a couple of them were based on magazine photos. He knew a few had to have been copied from comic books. These featured the most common figure in Gracie's drawings, a hero who knocked down walls and broke a prisoner's chains. He had yellow hair, and wore a red cape and a blue necktie. Steve smiled every time he saw the unnamed hero on a rampage.

Steve had decorated the walls of his cell with his favorite pictures. Officials had at first refused to allow him any tape, apparently for fear he could make a strangling cord from it. (And maybe he could have at that.) The red-haired, freckle-faced guard who usually delivered the mail had gone out of his way to find little tape tabs meant for gift-wrapping and scrapbooking. This was one of the men Steve had wondered about. He seemed awfully interested in McGarrett. When Kono investigated, however, she found out that O'Connor was in his third year of studying child psychology with a view to working with incarcerated youth and children of inmates. Steve was amused to realize O'Connor was more interested in Grace's drawings than in Steve.

Every letter renewed Steve's fading hopes but today, for the first time, there was no letter. Steve was ready at the bars of his cell when O'Connor brought the mail around, but the guard shook his head.

"Nothing today," he said regretfully. He saw Steve's disappointment. "It's probably the post office," O'Connor offered consolation. "You'll probably get two letters tomorrow."

"Probably," Steve agreed, but he felt let down. Maybe his friends were starting to give up on him. Maybe they should give up, he thought. His obsession had made a mess out of all their lives. They should run as far from him as possible, as if he was a grenade about to go off. Except he'd already blown up and sprayed them with shrapnel.

He was so sunk in gloom, that the guard named Alapai had to call his name twice to get Steve's attention. "You've got a visitor," the guard said.

Steve couldn't think who it could be, not Kono. She'd been the day before. Probably one of the HPD detectives asking the same questions he had no answers for.

Shoulders slumped, Steve approached the visitors' area.

"Here," said Tukia, the guard at the entrance, as he handed Steve an envelope. "Your visitor brought this for you."

Steve opened it, and found his daily Grace drawing inside. It showed a lion tamer carrying a whip and a chair and wearing necktie. He as surrounded by grinning cats with shaggy manes. Beneath, Grace had written her father's name.

Steve's breath caught as he looked through the thick Plexiglas and saw Danny Williams waiting in the booth, phone in hand. Wearing a tie and a suit complete with coat, he looked even more out-of-place than usual. Danny had a raincoat too heavy for the tropical drizzle outside and looked tired and rumpled, as if he'd come straight from the airport.

He was such a welcome sight, Steve stopped still, suddenly uncertain. Dammed up emotions threatened to spill out everywhere. He felt such a surge of relief and happiness to see Danny again, that it made Steve feel pathetically weak and needy.

Tukia waited, armed folded. It wasn't his business to force the prisoner to talk to his visitor.

Danny eyed him through the Plexiglas, seeing every thought cross the face Steve tried so hard to keep immobile. Steve realized he was as obvious as Grace's colorful drawings.

A smile blossoming on his face, Danny placed his right hand flat against the Plexiglas. When Steve still didn't move, Danny crooked the forefinger of his left hand, the one holding the phone.

As if hypnotized, Steve moved to the chair, sat and placed his left hand on top of Danny's. He could have sworn that, through the barrier, he could feel warmth pouring out of the dynamo that was his partner. The shave ice Steve had packed around his heart melted before that furnace. How could it be weak or pathetic to have such a friend?

"Danny," Steve said into the phone. "It's too dangerous. You shouldn't be here."

"But…?" Danny asked patiently.

"But I'm glad you are," Steve admitted, and a smile finally lit his face.

Danny thought Steve looked pale and stressed, but the tension in the prisoner seemed to ease the longer the two men regarded each other.

Their fingers curled in a mutual impulse to clasp hands. Relief at seeing each other whole and well blossomed into small smiles that grew. Danny smiled, then Steve smiled bigger, then Danny, then Steve.

Danny deliberately, literally, wiped the smile from his face.

"OK, enough, this is not a goofy smile contest," he said sternly, fighting his grin, but unable to keep it off his face entirely. He pulled his fingers from the Plexiglas and gripped his knee to keep his hand from flying around unbidden.

Steve obediently folded his free hand on the counter, sat up straight and fought for a serious mien. (Ten minutes ago, he'd have never thought he'd feel so giddy right now.)

Danny eyed the corner of a bandage peeking out from beneath Steve's collar. "Chin told me about the scuffle. You OK?"

Steve rotated his shoulder without discomfort. "It's just a little stiff. They were only scratches," he said dismissively.

His partner studied him up and down. "Is it my eyes? I would not have believed it, but you look even more buff — less tan, but more buff — than when I last saw you. I mean, seriously? In prison?"

"Nothing to do but work out," Steve said with a shrug.

"You didn't even crack the book I sent you, did you?" Danny accused.

"Read it from cover to cover," Steve said, raising his hand like a Boy Scout taking an oath.

Danny gave him a glare of disbelief.

"Really," Steve promised. "I read the highlighted section on page 41 three times and the paragraph with stars and exclamation points on page 210, I committed to memory."

"And the note on page 87?"

"'Grenades in my glove compartment? What were you thinking? !' My favorite," Steve said.

"You committed it to memory, but did you take any of it to heart?"

Steve's face fell. "I'm trying, Danny. I … I keep thinking about the danger I put you and Kono and Chin in. I can't get the memories out of my mind, Kono losing her badge, you ready to fight Chin for arresting me. I was a terrible leader. I put my own vendetta first and never thought about what it would do to my team."

Danny chewed his lip as he studied his friend's tragic expression. All the humor in the Jerseyan's eyes had dissolved. "To be fair, Wo Fat kept pushing your buttons."

"But I let him. And I didn't listen to you."

"Always your worst mistake," Danny agreed.

"Tell Gracie I really like the pictures," Steve said. "They help keep me … connected."

"You like the new one?" Danny asked, quirking an eyebrow at his friend.

Steve unfolded the paper and smiled at the grinning lions surrounding the fearless tamer. "Yeah."

Danny tilted his head and Steve realized he'd missed something, though he couldn't think what. Then Danny shook it away with a minute twitch of his head. "You don't have to worry much longer. It's almost over."

Steve perked up.

"I can't tell you much," Danny warned. "Practically nothing, in fact, but we're tied in the bottom of the ninth and our heavy hitter's coming up to bat. That would be me, in case you're wondering."

"And the crowd goes wild," Steve offered with a grin.

Danny answered with a tight smile.

"What are you up to?" Steve asked with swift concern.

Danny just shook his head. "If I told you, I'd have to shoot you. I've gotta go, Steve. I've got everything I need to kick Wo Fat's ass; but first I've gotta get something to eat. Would you believe the airline served teriyaki chicken with soggy pineapple? Pineapple on meat, disgusting."

Steve knew Danny's tone. He hadn't heard it often, but this was the 'damn the torpedoes' tone he'd used when chasing Meka's killer. "Danny, don't …" But what could he say, Don't do this. Don't get yourself killed. Danny had already made up his mind. Steve said it all with one of those looks Danny claimed to read so easily. Danny met his friend's anxious eyes with a level gaze, but didn't say anything, which was always an ominous sign.

Steve cleared the nerves out of his throat. "How ... how high is the insanity level?"

"High," Danny admitted.

"Be careful," Steve begged.

"Highly unlikely," Danny answered. "But don't blame yourself. It's my decision."

"What does Rachel think? And Grace?" Steve said quickly, trying to detour Danny's determination.

"Rachel is scared, but resigned. She knows she doesn't have any say any more."

That was the saddest thing Steve had ever heard anyone say in a flat, unemotional voice.

"Grace," Danny continued with a small smile. "Grace is gung ho for me to save her Uncle Steve. She's still young enough to think I'm immortal. If I disappoint her, I won't be around to see it."

"You shouldn't risk your life for me," Steve said.

"Oh sure, now you're all worried about risking my life," Danny joked weakly; then said seriously, "Steve, it's all part of the job. It's who I am. It's who I'll always be. I did the only thing I could to protect my little girl. I upped my life insurance — again."

"Danny, please."

"No, partner. It's too late. The ball's been pitched. I've gotta swing or strike out." Danny smiled a real, genuine, relaxed smile. Steve saw his eyes were serene. "Don't worry, babe. I'm gonna hit it out of the park for you."

The detective started to get up, then picked up the phone again. "Take care of that drawing," he said, nodding at the colorful piece of paper, then he left.

- H50 -

"Any place to get something to eat around here?" Danny asked the guard who let him out of the visitor's room.

"There's a café on the other side of the park," Alapai answered.

"Thanks," Danny said.

- H50 -

"That your boyfriend," Tukia asked idly, as he escorted the prisoner out of the visitor's area and handed him off to O'Connor. It wasn't a crack. Steve seemed so much more relaxed and happy since he saw his visitor. Steve recognized the absence of malice in the comment, so merely replied, "No, he's my brother."

Remembering the short, blond visitor, Tukia thought, then you must have had different fathers, but that would have been a crack, so he didn't say it.

O'Connor escorted Steve back to his cell and locked him in. He noticed the drawing in the prisoner's hand.

"Hand delivered," Steve said, showing off the artwork.

The guard examined it without touching it, politely respecting the prisoner's property. "Clever," he said. "That's the first Biblical reference, isn't it?"

Biblical? Steve sagged against the bars as he looked at the drawing again. He hadn't gotten it. He'd seen the name "Daniel," but hadn't put it together with the big cats.

"Daniel in the lion's den," Steve murmured fearfully. Suddenly he didn't like the smirks on those lions' faces at all.

- H50 -

The guard Alapai took a break to use the washroom. In the adjacent locker room, he retrieved his cellphone and made a quick call. "Tell Wo Fat that Williams is back," he instructed.

**Next chapter: Daniel in the Lion's Den**

_Coming up on the big finale. May I have more reviews, please?_


	8. Daniel in the Lion's Den

_Author's note: It takes time and effort to set a trap and only an instant for it to snap shut._

**Thin Ice in Honolulu**

**Chapter 8: Daniel in the Lion's Den**

The guard Alapai took a break to use the washroom. In the adjacent locker room, he retrieved his cellphone and made a quick call. "Tell Wo Fat that Williams is back," he instructed. "Williams says he has evidence. You might be able to catch him here. I think he's going to the Park Café."

The surveillance camera in the locker room picked up every word. Danny Williams looked around at the assembled group and raised his eyebrows.

"Well?"

"You were right again, detective," said Peter Trent, the governor of Hawaii for nearly three weeks now.

Trent was accompanied by a security officer. They stood with a group that included the grim-faced warden, the chief of the Honolulu Police Department, HPD Lieutenant Chin Ho Kelly, Kono Kalakaua with her Five-0 badge gleaming on her belt, data analyst and Five-0 adjunct Jenna Kaye and two jail guards stunned by their fellow's betrayal.

"I can't believe it," the warden muttered angrily.

"I don't like this," HPD Chief Mahaka said. "The park is so open. There's no cover."

"Exactly why it will appeal to Wo Fat," Chin said.

"It's the only way to draw him close," Danny said.

"What if he doesn't want to talk to you," Jenna said anxiously. "What if he just sends his men to do a drive-by?"

"Then I'd better duck," Danny said impatiently. He was anxious to get rolling; yet he had to allow Wo Fat time to walk into the trap. "It doesn't matter now. The ball is in play. Batter up!"

"Good luck, detective," the governor said.

"Thank you, sir."

Chin held out his hand. Danny gripped it. "Chin, tell Steve …"

"Danno loves him?" Chin smirked.

Danny punched his shoulder, but smiled. Chin pulled his friend into a hug.

"Yes, yes, Danno loves you, too," Danny said ironically.

Kono took her turn, hugging the Jerseyan fiercely.

"Thanks, Danny. Thanks for everything," she said, touching her returned badge.

"You earned that. No one should take it away from you."

Danny embraced his partner for the last two weeks. "Stay here, Jenna. Please. I promise to start teaching you how to be a field agent after this, but for now, please, stay put."

That worked a lot better than handcuffing her to a police car. Jenna promised tearfully, hoping Danny could keep his promise.

"Play ball!" Danny said, as he walked out.

"O'Connor, tell Alapai I want the two of you to bring McGarrett to my office," the warden said.

"Yes sir," the guard said with a grim smile.

O'Connor passed the word and accompanied the pair back to the office. Both men assumed the summons had something to do with Danny's visit, but it wasn't what they expected.

As Alapai followed Steve into the room, the guard was grabbed from behind and quickly handcuffed by Chin. O'Connor and the other trusted guard, Heleniki, pushed Alapai to the wall. Before he could protest, Alapai saw the video of his call to Wo Fat replaying on the monitor. He wilted before the roomful of angry eyes, but clapped his mouth shut.

"Get him out," the warden ordered. "Hold him in the next room. I don't want anyone to talk to him or even see him until this is over."

Kono unlocked Steve's handcuffs. "You're free, boss. Charges have been dropped."

Her grin brought an answering one to Steve's face. As he rubbed his wrist, he realized he wasn't going back to his cell. "O'Connor," he called, as the guard opened the door to the adjacent conference room. "Take care of the drawings for me."

"No problem, Mr. McGarrett," the guard said, underlining Steve's non-inmate status.

Mahaka handed Steve his ID and gun. "I still think you're a menace, but your friends have proven you're not a murderer."

The governor himself gave Steve back his Five-0 badge. "We have to talk more about the future of Five-0," Trent said, "But right now, you need to back your partner up."

"I know, he's gone into the lion's den," Steve said, patting a pocket a folded piece of paper rested. "What's the plan?" He knew Danny would have a plan.

Chin laid it out.

Steve frowned in the expression Danny called "aneurism face." "Seriously?"

Despite the seriousness of the operation, Chin and Kono couldn't help but grin at him. "Seriously," Kono answered.

Danny ate his meal with leisurely enjoyment, thinking that if this was his last meal, the pot roast and chocolate cream pie weren't half bad.

He paid his bill and pulled on his too heavy raincoat, though the drizzle had stopped and the sun was shining feebly. Stepping out the restaurant door, Danny said, "Showtime," almost to himself.

He crossed the nearly empty park, heading for his car parked in the prison visitors' lot. Wearing earbuds and iPods, two skinny teenagers in baggy hoodies and baggier board shorts skateboarded around and around a shallow concrete bowl. Two women in long flowered dresses sat peering into a baby carriage. They wore wide-brimmed sun hats that shaded their faces. A couple of vans were parked along the perimeter of the park, but there was no sign of movement, until Danny was halfway across the park, out in the open. Two men advanced on the detective. Danny stopped, glanced behind him and saw two more men cutting off his escape. The bait took a deep breath, faced the dapper Asian man approaching and spread his empty hands, hoping for some talk before the shooting started.

"Detective Williams, I understand you've been looking for me," Wo Fat said smugly.

"Not a detective any more, thanks to you," Danny reminded him.

"Is that why you're looking for me, to apply for a job?" Wo Fat asked in amusement. He felt he had the upper hand. Williams was alone with a few helpless civilians in the park. Wo Fat had three experienced gunmen and a pistol of his own, if necessary.

"I want my partner out of jail," Danny said flatly. "I know you're the one who killed Governor Jameson."

"Can you prove that?" Wo Fat chuckled.

"Maybe not," Danny admitted. "But it's funny. You ran me out of town, but, with the Internet, I didn't have to be in Hawaii to investigate people in Hawaii. I can prove you bribed the governor and Congressman Kahunahana and Police Captain Ramirez and a dozen others. I can place you in a car following McGarrett's Mercury to the governor's mansion the night of the murder. (I just love ATMs and their teeny weeny cameras that no one pays any attention to.) And I can prove you purchased a stun gun of the same make as the one that left marks on McGarrett's neck that night. They haven't sold very many in Hawaii. It's not the most popular model. It has a reputation for being unduly painful. Probably why you like it."

The first item was from him and Jenna, the last two compliments of Chin and Kono, though Danny absolutely was not going to remind Wo Fat about them.

"And that's just the tip of the iceberg," Danny said, spreading his hands and doing his best impression of the Steve McGarrett, 200-watt smirk.

Wo Fat lost his urbane polish. His eyes burned with anger, "I think you shouldn't be allowed to spread your stories further. I gave you your chance, detective. I let you go home to your beloved New Jersey. Why did you come back?"

"That's what friends do."

"I warned Mrs. Edwards what would happen if she could not keep you out of my hair. Now I will have to kill you and then I will hunt down your Rachel and your Grace and execute them, just as I executed Governor Jameson. Do you understand me?"

Danny's eyes were coldly triumphant.

"I understand. I think everyone understands."

"We understand," said Steve McGarrett looking up from the monitor in the baby carriage and ripping off the concealing hat. Chin Ho Kelly tossed away his hat and pulled his favorite shotgun out of the carriage.

"I understand," said Kono Kalakaua from the other side of the park as she kicked away her skateboard and drew her gun from beneath her hoodie. Her young HPD partner followed suit.

"I know we understand," said Chief Mahaka's voice over a loudspeaker, as SWAT officers emerged from vehicles and popped up on rooftops.

Under the distraction of these shouts, Danny's hand flashed beneath his coat to pull out his automatic. "You're under arrest, Wo Fat. Drop your weapons and surrender!"

Wo Fat's face became a mask of fury. He'd put all his efforts into taking down McGarrett, only to be foiled by this pygmy from New Jersey. He knew he had lost but, like a kamikaze, he was determined to take his enemies down with him. "Kill McGarrett!" he snarled to his men, but he whirled on the infuriating man from Jersey.

From three directions, Wo Fat's men charged at Steve and Chin, who took cover behind the bench. Kono and her companion threw themselves down in the meager protection of the concrete bowl.

The SWAT sniper had to hold fire because the targets were too close to the officers. SWAT officers ran from the edge of the park, but knew they would be too late.

Danny ignored his own peril and fired at a gunman raising a semiautomatic behind Steve and Chin.

Steve's laser focus stayed on Wo Fat. He saw his enemy aim at his friend's back.

"Danny, down!" Steve roared, charging out of cover, long dress swirling incongruously around his sneaker-clad ankles.

Chin's shotgun bellowed, blowing down a killer rushing at the heedless commander. Kono and her partner blazed away at the final gunman while Steve, on the run, popped off three quick shots at Wo Fat. The gangster went down, his gun blazing as he fell.

Danny cried out, loud in the sudden silence, and dropped.

"Danny!" Steve ran to his friend, not caring whether all the criminals were finished or not. The litany of swearwords coming from the fallen detective reassured him even before he reached his partner's side. The commander spared a glance for Wo Fat. The holes in his chest and throat and the missing top of the man's head told Steve he'd seen the last of his archenemy.

Danny floundered on the sidewalk as blood soaked his leg. He stretched for the wound, but couldn't seem to sit up. Steve dropped beside hm. "I got you," Steve said, grabbing Danny's calf and applying pressure to the through-and-through wound.

The detective made an animal noise of rage and pain.

"Sorry," Steve said, without letting go.

"No, not bleeding is a good thing," Danny gasped, lying back on the ground.

"You hit somewhere else?" Steve asked, concerned that Danny couldn't sit up.

The detective snorted. "Like a little kid in a snowsuit, I've got too many clothes on. I can't get the vest off. But I can't complain."

He half-turned and Steve could see a bullet hole in the back of the raincoat.

"Raincoat, suit coat, shirt — all ruined," Danny sighed. He wheezed a little, but didn't seem in too much distress from the impact. He eyed his friend and couldn't stop a grin. "Nice dress, by the way. But Chin wears his better."

"Revenge is petty, Williams," Steve said, shaking his head sadly. He tore off the offending dress and used a strip of it to wrap the bullet wound. Beneath it, the commander wore a T-shirt, board shorts and, to Danny's satisfaction, his Five-0 badge clipped to his belt.

"Think you could have gotten that close without the dress?"

Steve looked at Wo Fat, most satisfactorily dead with a recorded confession and all.

"Probably not," he admitted. "Thanks, partner."

"Welcome." Danny's eye lit on Kono, who was handcuffing the last gunman. He was bleeding from a gunshot wound in his thigh, but had survived the hail of police bullets. "Look at you," Danny said in admiration. "Took one alive."

She gave a teensy curtsey in response. Mischief sparked in Danny's eyes, as the paramedics arrived and Steve stood to give them room.

Danny nodded at the prisoner. "Hey, Steve, book him."

"Anything you say, Danno."

_But wait, there's more._

**Next chapter: Reinventing Five-0**


	9. Reinventing Five–0

_Author's note: Here we go. Last chapter._

**Thin Ice in Honolulu**

**Chapter**** 9: Reinventing Five-0**

They had been summoned to the Five-0 offices by the new governor Peter Trent. The place looked abandoned, computer gear pulled out, smart table unplugged, files emptied. Kono trailed her finger along a desk and made a disgusted noise.

"Fingerprint powder everywhere," she said. "What'd they expect to find, our fingerprints? We worked here!"

In the main room, Danny leaned back in his desk chair with his bandaged leg on a straight chair. His crutches tilted against the deactivated smart table. Chin leaned beside the crutches. Jenna ran her hands along the smart table, wishing she could activate the amazing toy. Steve paced around the room restlessly.

"Thank you for coming," the governor said, causing the others to leap to their feet. Danny straightened in his chair as the next best thing.

Trent entered with his security men. The governor shook hands with everyone and asked about Danny's injury.

The detective shrugged. "It's sore, but it's healing. Keeping it elevated helps. Why did you ask us to come here, sir? Five-0 no longer exists – or does it?"

"Perceptive as ever. I can be just as blunt. I wanted to ask you to head up a new Five-0 task force."

While his friends around him stood stiff as stunned statues, Danny raised his eyebrows and gestured at himself. "Me?"

The governor perched on the smart table. "You. I think you proved your leadership skills in the latest crisis."

"You should do it, Danny," Steve said abruptly. "You'd be good at it. Better than I was."

Danny snorted. "No I wouldn't."

Shrewd detective's eyes met the shrewd politician's. Danny had the distinct impression the man was toying with him, toying with all of them. He wondered what would happen if he accepted, but he didn't want the job. He had to do too much paperwork as it was.

"I can catch the bad guys, but being head of Five-0 is more than that. You have VIP meetings and press conferences. You need someone more impressive. Ugly models don't sell lingerie and short guys don't make good figureheads. Face it, people are heightists."

"What?" Kono queried.

"People have more respect for tall people. Ninety percent of executives are tall."

There was a murmur of disagreement. Danny rolled his eyes. "You … are … all … tall! What would you know about it?" He pointed at the data analyst. "Am I right?"

Jenna shrugged. "He's right. It's even more than 90 percent."

"There! Dress me up in a tux and people think I'm a waiter. I'm more useful as a second-in-command," Danny said. "I'd rather be the one at the side sniping than the one in the center being shot at," he said honestly.

"The power behind the throne?" Chin said in amusement.

"Exactly!" Danny's hands waved wildly. "I'm the brake to keep us under control, but to get anywhere, you need an accelerator." He looked pointedly in Steve's direction. "Anyway, I have these anger management issues that sometimes get the better of me."

"No. Really?" Kono said.

"I think you underestimate yourself, detective," the governor said.

"No, but other people do," Chin said.

"And he likes it that way," Kono said.

Danny shrugged.

"I respect your decision, detective," Trent said.

_Ex__pected it, too,_ Danny thought, but (for a wonder) didn't say.

So, you would be willing to follow McGarrett again?" the governor asked.

The others agreed. Danny said, "Big, tall, intimidating naval officers make good figureheads. It's even a shippy word."

"Shippy, Danny?" Steve exclaimed.

"And what do you say, commander?" the governor asked. "You led them into disaster, but they're willing to follow you again. Can you lead them?"

The phrasing was brutal, but maybe Steve needed the challenge.

Steve slowly raised his head. His eyes glistened at the trust his friends showed him, but behind the moisture a proud fire gleamed.

"A military officer has to deal with defeat as well as victory, or he's no officer at all, sir."

"Have you learned anything from this?" Trent asked.

"That I still have a lot to learn," Steve answered with a wry twist to his mouth.

"Very well, you did some stellar work with Five-0. I'm willing to give you another chance. There will be some changes. 'Full means, but limited immunity.' I don't have a problem with creative interrogation techniques, but stealing money, breaking into government offices — no."

"And no grenades in my glove compartment," the irrepressible Danny said.

"It was only a flash-bang," Steve told the governor hastily.

"My daughter rides in that car," Danny said sternly.

"No armaments in other people's cars without their consent," Trent said, unable to keep a smile from twitching his lip. "Now, lieutenant," he turned to Chin. "You're willing to return to Five-0?"

"Yes sir."

"I don't see any reason you should lose rank. How does detective lieutenant sound?"

"It sounds great, but I couldn't take it. Danny's the Number 2 man in Five-0," Chin said.

Danny started to protest, but the governor overrode him "I was coming to that, Detective Lieutenant Williams."

Danny sounded it out silently, then shook his head. "I can't turn down the money, but the title is a mouthful. Since we're reinventing Five-0, why don't we just invent a new pay grade, say, Detective 1, with the same pay as an HPD lieutenant."

Trent thought that sounded reasonable. He looked at Kono. "I'm sorry, Officer Kalakaua, but …" Kono understood. She'd just come off suspension. It wasn't the proper time to give her a pay raise.

"No, having my badge back is reward enough, sir," Kono said sincerely.

"And Miss Kaye," Trent said, looking at Jenna who had been sure she was invisible behind Steve. "If you're planning to stay, I believe there's room in the budget for five in Five-0."

"Well, Danny did promise to teach me how to be a field agent," she said, but her tentative gaze was on Steve.

Danny shrugged when Steve gave him a look. "I thought I was going to die. I never figured I'd have to make good on that promise." At Jenna's indignant squeak, Danny added, "I promise to put you through the Daniel Williams Police Academy, Jenna. I hope you're a better student than my last one," he said with a pointed look at his partner.

"It's your decision, Jenna. We'll be glad to have you if you want to stay," Steve said.

"Yes, I want to stay."

"Yay," Kono said. "Now I'm not the rookie any more."

Chin chuckled and shook his head.

"Now for the less pleasant news," Trent said. "Commander, you didn't make any friends in HPD by choking an officer unconscious."

Steve bowed his head. Chin shuffled uncomfortably. The governor said, "Lieutenant?"

"Some of the people wondered if Steve might have PTSD."

Steve's head snapped up. He started to protest, but another voice overrode him.

"It's not PTSD. He's missing half the symptoms," Jenna said with the certainty of a born researcher. She blushed when everyone looked at her.

"Only half?" Danny asked drily.

"Um, yeah."

Danny gave Steve a look. As clearly as if Danny had telepathically projected it into his brain, Steve heard, _"I said you needed help. I even offered to pay!"_

"Chief Mahaka insists that you go through a psychiatric evaluation before you take command of Five-0 again," Trent said.

_Aha!_ Danny thought. _So you planned to give the job to Steve all along._

"I've arranged it with the admiral at Pearl. If it's any comfort, he's not convinced you need psychiatric help. He thinks this might be more a matter of retraining. He said the Navy sent you on too many lone wolf, black ops projects that weakened your officer training and didn't help you properly transition back into civilian life. He blames himself for not insisting on it."

His teammates half expected Steve to balk, but he was thinking bout unintended consequences. His vendetta had put a blot on Kono's record that would never be erased and caused a rip in Danny's heart that would leave an indelible scar. These people weren't his unit; they were his friends. There were no acceptable losses any more.

And he'd never found out why Wo Fat wanted him and his father dead.

"Whatever you say, sir," the naval officer agreed. "I know my actions caused suffering to people who trusted me," Steve said with the stiff posture of a military man explaining his actions to a superior. "I was a loose cannon rolling around the deck running over the people I was supposed to protect. I know I was wrong to take the law into my own hands, but that was my training for so long, it became instinct. Under stress, I reverted. I didn't listen to my friends." He turned to his wounded friend. "Danny, I …"

Danny stopped him with an angry forefinger. "You don't have to apologize, not for this. Wo Fat played us — played you, played me, played all of us." Danny turned his weaponized finger on the governor. "Just to be clear, the shrink will know that someone actually did kill Steve's parents and kidnap his sister. He's not paranoid; someone really was conspiring against him."

"I'll make sure of it," Trent promised. "I can arrange for you to talk to the psychiatrist yourself."

"Now I really will be committed," Steve groaned, feeling more himself as his friend's defense began to relieve his guilt.

"My bullet scars are not sufficient proof that I have your back?" Danny said, looking over his shoulder in outrage.

Steve gripped his friend's shoulder, the one scarred by a bullet on the first day they met. That was all the answer Danny needed.

"Then, if we're all agreed, Five-0 will resume operations in two weeks, time for evaluation and healing," the governor said.

Kono made a small sound of protest. "I've already had almost three weeks vacation."

"Suppose I make arrangements for you to work with Charlie Fong, brush up on your lab skills, cuz," Chin suggested. Kono happily agreed.

"During that time, I'll have the equipment reinstalled." The governor got up to go, then remembered and said to Danny, "Louis Francetti of Homeland Security wants his credentials back, unless you'd like to keep them and move to Washington?"

"It's like Christmas morning," Danny said wryly. "You can tell the chief I'm sorry, but that's only the fourth best offer I've had today."

"Fourth?" Chin couldn't resist asking. "I only count three."

"Steve's buying dinner," Danny answered.

The commander held out his hands in surrender. Kono cheered quietly.

"Governor," Steve said firmly. "I have one question before we start this all over again. How much did you know about Jameson's ties to Wo Fat?"

His question silenced the room as if it was an anti-noise bomb. If Danny had dared to speak, he would have told Steve for the second time, "I have never been prouder of you than I am right now." He had not cared for the cowed, apologetic Steve. He liked respectfully defiant, quietly aggressive Steve better.

Trent looked tired. He spoke to Chin. "Lieutenant, has there ever been a cop you knew was crooked? Not a hired assassin for the mob, but the kind who would give a warning instead of a ticket if you dropped $40 on the ground."

"Yes sir," Chin answered. Danny was nodding, too.

"That's what I thought Pat Jameson was. I knew she was … beholden to some special interests who smoothed her path, pushed her to the top more quickly than most of us could understand. Almost all of us have someone we owe," he said with seeming honesty. (_But he __was__ a professional liar, after all,_ Danny thought.) "I never expected this sort of corruption — multiple murders and millions of dollars. No, I didn't know. Apparently I didn't know Pat Jameson at all."

Steve studied him, then looked at his partner, he of the good instincts.

Danny looked to Jenna.

"Nothing showed up in his financials," the analyst said. She dipped her head, abashed when Trent looked at her. "We looked at everyone in the governor's office," she said in a small voice.

"A wise move," Trent said kindly. He joined Steve in sending an inquiring glance at Danny.

The Jerseyan shrugged. (He was doing that a lot today, he realized.) "I'm willing to chance it," he said. "If you're in, we're in, Steve," he said, answering for the others without even asking them. But he knew what they'd say. He was a detective. Besides, he could see them all nodding. They squared up beside Steve, as he stood with his hands on the back of Danny's chair. All of Five-0 looked firmly into the new governor's eyes.

"Then it's up to you, governor," Steve said. "Knowing what happened to the last governor who sponsored us, do you want Five-0 back?"

Trent met each gaze squarely, one by one. He straightened proudly, like the soldier he had been. "Yes, I do."

A sweet, joyful smile burst onto Steve's face. "Then Five-0 is back."

— H50 —

After the governor left, Danny retrieved his crutches and, with Kono spotting him, began the complicated process of standing without putting any pressure on his wounded leg. The bone wasn't broken, but the muscle hurt like a sonuvagun if asked to do any work.

Steve patted his multitude of pockets. He had his ID — it went with the badge — but he couldn't remember the last time he'd seen his cash. Before his arrest? He put an apologetic look on his face. "Uh, Danny."

Without even looking back, Danny flipped up two fingers holding the slim gray folder that contained Steve's sole credit card and an assortment of folded bills. The detective had found it when he got the Camaro out of storage.

"Really? A duct tape billfold?" Danny asked, as he hobbled slowly toward the exit.

"I made it when I was a Boy Scout," Steve answered, smiling, falling in beside his friend. Chin, Kono and Jenna formed up around them.

Danny announced, "From now on, boys and girls, I'm taking control of the mysteriously missing McGarrett money."

Kono clapped her hands at the alliteration and Jenna giggled.

A twinkling, tinkling object sailed toward Steve's face. He plucked it easily out of the air.

"But I'm willing to share the car keys," Danny continued. "You drive, babe."

"Yes sir!" Steve said, snapping a salute. He jogged ahead to open the door for his friends.

— H50 —

Two weeks later, cleared for duty, (No, he did not have PTSD, thank you.) Steve looked out through his glass walls to see his friends rearranging their personal belongings in their Five-0 offices. Even Jenna had her own little space, crammed with computers.

Danny set a photo of his daughter on a bookshelf next to a cherished surveillance photo of Steve in full rampage with a flowered dress swirling around his hairy ankles. The portrait of Grace reminded Steve of his own picture. He pulled the framed piece of art out of his duffle and found a good spot where he could see it whenever he left the office. He hoped it would remind him of the people who depended on him to be a good leader and of the friends who had followed him even when he wasn't.

He wiped a cloth across the glass and smiled at the framed crayon drawing. The mighty lion tamer and his shaggy cats grinned back. Daniel and his friends had tamed the lions and freed Steve from his cage.

**The End**

**(Or really the beginning of Season 2.)**


End file.
